New Patriotic Party (NPP) stalwarts Chairman Odeneho Kwaku Appiah, also known as Asanteman COKA, and Kwadwo Boateng-Agyemang, popularly referred to as Chairman Cudjoe, are tipped to win their chairmanship races in the Ashanti and Eastern regions, respectively.
The majority of the delegates from all the constituencies, THE CUSTODIAN, have gathered and are rooting for the two frontrunners because they have established strong positions against their respective contenders, largely on the strength of their grassroots networks, organizational experience, exceptional human relations, and long-standing involvement in constituency politics.
COKA is running against Dr. Kwabena Kokofu in Ashanti, while Chairman Cudjoe is contesting against incumbent Eastern Regional Chairman Jeff Konadu Addo.
Stakes are particularly high because Ashanti and Eastern occupy an important place in the NPP’s electoral calculations in general elections.
The two regions constitute a substantial component of the party’s organizational and delegate base and are traditionally central to its presidential and parliamentary successes.
Their regional chairmen are therefore expected to play a critical role in rebuilding the party’s grassroots structures, restoring confidence among supporters and preparing the machinery required for the NPP’s return to power in 2028.
COKA’s reconciliation campaign
In the Ashanti region, Asanteman COKA, who was Chairman of the Chairmen for years, has built his campaign around reconciliation and the restoration of relationships between the NPP and sections of its support base.
As a former Afigya Kwabre South Constituency Chairman for five terms, he has presented himself as a candidate capable of healing internal divisions and bringing back party members and sympathizers who have become disillusioned with the NPP.
His campaign has received a significant endorsement from Tano North Member of Parliament, Dr. Gideon Boako, as well as Collins Adomako-Mensah, MP for Afiyga Kwabre North, who have described COKA as a “super glue” capable of reconnecting sections of the party.
Dr. Boako said COKA’s extensive engagement with aggrieved party supporters, businessmen, religious leaders, and other stakeholders had given him an advantage in the regional contest.
Speaking to delegates in Afigya Kwabre South, Dr. Boako said COKA had deliberately taken on the role of reconciliator at a time when the NPP needed to repair strained relationships.
“If you look at COKA’s movement and the steps he is taking, you will see he has decided to be the reconciliator in our party, going to businessmen and pastors who are angry with us to appease them,” he said.
According to Dr. Boako, some of the people COKA had approached were individuals the party had found difficult to engage with because of previous disagreements or strained relationships.
He said COKA had nevertheless continued to reach out to them in an attempt to rebuild trust.
“Most of them, the party, are generally shy to approach them, but COKA always tries to heal their wounds,” he added.
Bringing back disillusioned supporters
Dr. Boako, who is also the spokesperson for Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, NPP flagbearer for the 2028 general election, said the importance of COKA’s approach goes beyond the regional election.
He argued that the NPP’s ability to regain power in 2028 would depend partly on its capacity to reconnect with supporters who became disappointed with the party and either stayed away from the polls or shifted their allegiance in the 2024 elections.
Accordingly, Dr. Boako believes a regional chairman with the ability to reach aggrieved groups could become an important asset to the party’s rebuilding process.
“So if we are looking for someone who has built a relationship with the people who did not vote because of anger, then Odeneho Kwaku Appiah is the only man who can convince them to vote for NPP again,” Dr. Boako said.
He described COKA’s grassroots engagement as one of the reasons he believes the former constituency chairman is well placed to lead the party in Ashanti.
‘COKA is the super glue’
Dr. Boako’s strongest endorsement came when he described COKA as the NPP’s “super glue” in the Ashanti Region.
He said the region needed a chairman capable of bringing together competing groups, repairing damaged relationships, and creating a common platform for party members to work towards the same objective.
“Apart from his influence at the grassroots level and his commitment towards the party’s course, I see COKA as a super glue because he is the only one who can bring all those who have left the party back,” he stated.
Dr Boako urged delegates to judge candidates on their records of engagement, organizational experience, and commitment to rebuilding the party rather than on what he described as negative narratives surrounding the contest.
He argued that the NPP’s current circumstances required a chairman who could reconcile rather than deepen divisions.
“He is the one Ashanti NPP needs now,” Dr. Boako declared.
Chairman Cudjoe builds on constituency experience
In the Eastern Region, Chairman Cudjoe’s campaign is being driven largely by his extensive experience at the constituency level and his understanding of the party’s organizational structures.
The former New Juaben North Constituency Chairman has spent several years working within the party’s grassroots structure and has served as constituency chairman for three terms.
He was re-elected to the position for the fourth consecutive term on April 30, 2022, but subsequently resigned to contest the regional chairmanship position, choosing to seek a broader mandate to lead the NPP’s organizational efforts across the Eastern Region.
His decision to leave a position he had won repeatedly has been presented by his campaign as evidence of his determination to take his experience beyond the constituency level and deploy it towards rebuilding the party across the region.
Chairman Cudjoe is contesting against Jeff and has convinced delegates that his record at New Juaben North gives him the practical experience necessary to lead the region.
“I have been with them in the trenches for years. I know what the constituencies need to be able to deliver victory in the 2028 elections,” he said.
His campaign has centered on strengthening constituency organizations, reconnecting the party’s grassroots, and ensuring that the regional structure works effectively with constituency executives.
‘Chairman of chairmen’
Having served as New Juaben North chairman for three terms, Cujdoe argued that his experience gives him a comprehensive understanding of the organizational challenges confronting the party.
He has positioned himself as a candidate capable of translating constituency-level experience into a coordinated regional strategy.
“As the chairman of chairmen in the Eastern Region, I understand the dynamics of the region and have the experience to help the NPP break the eight,” he stated.
His campaign theme, “Bringing the People Together & Keeping the Hope Alive to Rejuvenate NPP Superiority in the Eastern Region,” reflects his emphasis on unity, grassroots mobilization, and restoring the party’s electoral strength.
His supporters believe his repeated victories at the constituency level demonstrate a level of confidence among grassroots delegates that could translate into a regional mandate.
Chairman Cudjoe’s argument is that the party does not simply need a chairman with visibility but one who understands the operational realities of constituencies, including delegate mobilization, voter engagement, and the coordination required to win parliamentary and presidential elections.
