Daniel Bugri Naabu has been defeated in the Northern regional chairmanship race of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).
The incumbent lost to businessman Mohammed Bantima Samba who polled 312 of total votes cast as against Naabu’s 116 on Saturday.
About 568 delegates of the New Patriotic Party from 29 constituencies in the Northern Region took part in the elections.
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A Legal practitioner, Sule Sambian grabbed the Secretary position while the regional organiser slot went to Alhaji Rashid COP, a former Youth Organizer. The 1st Vice Chairman position went to Iddrisu Sunday while the Northern Regional Coordinator of the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP), Felicia Tettey was elected 2nd Vice Chair. Mohammed Alhassan was voted the Youth Organizer position as Hajia Rahana Aziz snatched the Women’s Organizer title with Alhaji Sibidow Alhassan Yakubu winning the Regional Treasurer position.
The incumbent Assistant Regional Secretary, Haruna Iddrisu retained his position while Sham-Una Ilyasu Mohammed kept his as the Nasara Coordinator for the region.
WATCH: Watch exclusive images of Bugri Naabu’s accident
Two days to the regional polls, Mr. Naabu was involved in a motor crash – an incident some described as orchestrated to win sympathy votes.
Naabu towed his mangled vehicle 130km from Larbanga, where it crashed Thursday dawn, to the voting grounds at the Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium. Party members raced in dismay to circle around the car and amidst loud murmuring of divergent views trying to read meaning into the unexpected episode.
Akilu Sayibu, a leading regional figure of the party and an appointee told Starr News Naabu was trying to defuse widespread rumour that the car crash incident was staged to draw the sympathy of delegates to vote for him.
Looming defeat
Prior to the internal elections, the vociferous regional chairman had written to president Akufo-Addo presenting a long list of more than 15 individuals including leading opposition figures accusing them of plots to cause his defeat.
Naabu accused former president Mahama, his brother, Ibrahim Mahama, and suspended chairman and bankroller of the NPP, Paul Afoko, of sponsoring an extravagant campaign run by his close contender, Mohammed Adam Samba, to scuttle his chairmanship ambition in the coming elections.
“Rumors are rife that he (Samba) is being supported by the former President, John Dramani Mahama, his brother, Ibrahim Mahama and Mr. Paul Afoko who want to “disgrace” me for “disgracing” them. They have vowed to teach me a lesson”, Bugri whined in the leaked letter seen by Starr News.
The “disgrace” is believed to be in reference to the allegations against the Mahama’s in 2016, a few days to the General Elections, that he was bribed to make false accusations against then-candidate Akufo-Addo as someone who hates northerners. In 2015, he contributed to the suspension of Paul Afoko as chairman of the NPP.