Abanga Fuseini Yakubu has been declared the newly elected National Youth Organiser of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) after winning the position at the party’s National Delegates Conference in Kumasi.
Mr Abanga secured 1,550 votes to emerge winner of the contest.
His closest contender, Clement Opoku, polled 631 votes, while Michael Osei-Boating obtained 78 votes. Chris Lloyd polled 46 votes, Vera Oye secured 44 votes, and Alfredo Ababio Kumi received 25 votes.
The election formed part of the NPP’s national executive elections held at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi on Saturday, October 3, 2026.
Speaking after his declaration, Mr Abanga said he was confident of winning the election because of the work he had done among delegates.
“Definitely, I knew I was going to win,” he said when asked whether he expected to be declared the winner.
According to him, his victory was not the result of any special tactics but came from hard work, engaging delegates and explaining what he intended to do for the party.
“There was nothing tactical involved. It was about working hard, going to the delegates, telling them what you can do and what you can’t do,” he said.
He added that he had committed himself fully to the party and believed delegates rewarded his efforts with their votes.
Mr Abanga, however, declined to disclose his specific strategies for the 2028 general elections, explaining that he preferred to keep such plans private.
“As a politician, your strength is how secretive you are, and I don’t think it’s important to discuss my strategies,” he stated.
The newly elected National Youth Organiser called on his fellow contestants to put the internal campaign behind them and work together for the NPP.
He appealed to those who contested against him to join his efforts to strengthen the party.
“The point is that after elections, no campaign. I’m pleading with them to join me. We should come together. Divided before united we went,” he said.
Mr Abanga acknowledged that some comments he made during the campaign may have offended his fellow contestants and apologised to them.
“I uttered one or two words that they didn’t like, didn’t sit down well with them. I apologise. They should forgive me,” he said.
He appealed to his former opponents to forgive him for any disagreements during the campaign and stressed that the interest of the party was more important than personal relationships.
“The party’s interest is supreme and we don’t need to be friends before we work together as a party,” he said.
Mr Abanga said his election presented him with an opportunity to demonstrate his ability to lead and organise the youth wing of the NPP.
He pledged not to be an “armchair” National Youth Organiser but to actively engage young members of the party.
“I’m not going to be an armchair National Youth Organiser. I’m going to be an effective, strategic and innovative National Youth Organiser,” he said.
He described the position as an opportunity to prove his competence and pledged to work to the expectations of the party’s youth.
Mr Abanga explained his belief in sharing opportunities among young people, referring to the phrase “Obiyabe Didi Peche”, which he interpreted as meaning that one person should not benefit alone while others are left behind.
He said his approach would be to support and work with other young people rather than keeping opportunities to himself.
Looking ahead to the 2028 elections, Mr Abanga appealed to his former opponents and other party members to work together to support the NPP’s flagbearer, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.
“Let’s come together and work hard and make Dr Mahamudu Bawumia the President of the Republic of Ghana so Ghanaians can benefit from the good initiatives that NPP government is capable of doing,” he said.
He said the party needed a united youth front to support its broader political objectives.
By: Jacob Aggrey
