A former President of the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS), Iddrisu Haruna, is the new National Youth Organiser of the National Democratic Congress (NDC). He polled 76 out of the 93 votes to beat the party’s former Greater Accra Youth Organiser, Bismark Agbemenule, who had 17 votes at the National Delegates Conference of the Youth wing of the NDC, held at Prampram at the weekend. He takes over from Mr E.T. Mensah, Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram.

Mr Ludwing Hlodze won the position of the First Deputy National Organiser with 58 votes whilst Mr Kelly Forson who polled 29 votes took the second Deputy Organiser position. Prior to the elections, tension was heightened as delegates made frantic efforts to lobby each other for their favourite candidates.

Given the very tense atmosphere, speakers as well as delegates cautioned against factionalism and urged all to rally behind whoever would emerge winner to rebuild the youth front.

When the results were finally announced, the jubilant supporters of Haruna went gay and it took them quite some time to calm down for the programme to continue.

In a short address, Haruna pledged to work conscientiously with all the youth to ensure victory for the party in the next elections. He acknowledged the vast experience of Mr Bismark Agbemenule and said they will co-operate to work hard in the supreme interest of the party.

Conceding defeat, Mr Agbemenule said the outcome of the election is an indication of the wind of change blowing over the party and also pledged his support for the new youth leader.

Mr E. T. Mensah, the outgoing National Youth Organiser, also appealed to the members and supporters of the party to come together to tackle the task of re-capturing the leadership of the nation in 2004 election.