The election of Dr Edward Mahama as flagbearer of the People's National Convention (PNC), coupled with the election of many young people into national executive positions of the party, is a harbinger of the PNC's rising fortunes, newly-elected Chairman Bernard Mornah has said.

The former General Secretary told journalists after his victory at the Wa Congress held on Saturday that party members who were "asleep" should now wake up, since the party is determined to rise.

Dr Mahama, the Party’s multiple-time flagbearer, won the slot for the fifth time.

The four-time presidential candidate polled 492 votes against Mr Hassan Ayariga's 426 votes. The PNC's electoral fortunes saw a progressive regression from 3% in 1996 to about 1% in 2012.

Also at the polls, Issahaque Awudulai was elected Youth Organiser; Desmond Ntow elected National Organiser; Michael Wombeogo, 1st national Vice-Chairman; Henry Asante, 2nd Vice-Chairman; Hajia Hajara Ali, 3rd Vice-Chair; Atik Mohammed, General Secretary; Janet Nabla, Women's Organiser; and Akane Adams, Treasurer.

Ahead of the polls Saturday, gunshots were heard as the party's National Executive Committee met in the capital of the Upper West Region.

Class News' Dann Hassan reported hearing gunshots fired amidst a rumpus between supporters of the two frontrunners of the party's flagbearer race: Dr Edward Mahama and Mr Hassan Ayariga.

The skirmishes truncated proceedings, according to Dann Hassan. Mr Mornah told Dann Hassan and other journalists in an interview that although he also heard the sound of what appeared to have been a gunshot, he could not conclude that it really was a gunshot.

"I cannot say whether it was a gunshot, a firecracker, or it was a bomb," said Mornah.

The congress was held despite an application for an injunction against the process. The plaintiffs argued that Mr Mornah’s cheque used for paying for his nomination forms bounced, thus making him unqualified.

A total of 1,536 delegates voted in the process under the supervision of the Electoral Commission.