Former Fisheries Minister, Mavis Hawa Koomson, has emerged as the clear frontrunner in the race for the New Patriotic Party’s National Women Organiser position, according to a new internal survey conducted by Apex Intelligence and Innovation Insights.
The poll, which surveyed delegates across all 16 regions of Ghana, shows Hawa Koomson enjoying overwhelming support among the party’s internal electorate, placing her significantly ahead of her closest challenger, Hon. Catherine Abelema Afeku.
The survey was conducted between March 11 and March 22, 2026, using a stratified random sampling method. A total of 871 delegates participated in the exercise, including National, Regional and Constituency Executives as well as members of the Tertiary Students Confederacy of the New Patriotic Party (TESCON).
According to the survey, Hawa Koomson secured 65.5 per cent support among respondents, while Catherine Afeku garnered 14.2 per cent. The remaining support was shared among other aspirants in the contest.
Apex Intelligence stated that the poll carries a 95 per cent confidence level and a margin of error of plus or minus 4.0 per cent, making it a significant indicator of delegate sentiment ahead of the party’s internal elections.
The findings suggest that Hawa Koomson’s support extends across major demographic and political blocs within the party. The former minister recorded strong numbers among delegates of different religious backgrounds, age groups and educational levels.
Vast support
Among Muslim delegates, she secured 75.5 per cent support, while among Christian delegates she obtained 62.6 per cent. The survey also found that she maintains substantial support across all age categories, indicating broad appeal among both younger and older members of the party.
Regionally, the poll paints an equally impressive picture for the former Fisheries Minister. She posted some of her strongest performances in Bono East Region, where she secured 88.0 per cent support, followed by North East Region with 80.0 per cent. She also recorded commanding figures in Central Region with 75.0 per cent, Oti Region with 73.1 per cent, Upper East Region with 70.7 per cent and Ashanti Region with 69.4 per cent.
While Catherine Afeku showed relative strength in some areas, particularly in Western North Region, where she secured 35.0 per cent support against Hawa Koomson’s 50.0 per cent, the overall national picture strongly favours the former minister.
Beyond the contest itself, the survey also provides insight into delegates’ assessment of the outgoing National Executive leadership of the party.
According to the findings, 43.8 per cent of respondents rated the performance of the current National Executives as average. Another 18.1 per cent described the performance as poor, while 9.6 per cent rated it very poor. On the positive side, 24.7 per cent rated the leadership as good and 3.7 per cent considered it excellent.
Mixed views
Per the findings, while delegates may hold mixed views regarding the performance of the current national leadership, many are gravitating towards candidates they consider experienced, visible and capable of strengthening the party’s organizational structures.
The demographics of the survey further underscore the significance of the findings. According to Apex Intelligence, 88.8 per cent of respondents possess tertiary education qualifications, while the largest proportion of delegates falls within the 41 to 50 year age bracket.
The findings reflect a politically experienced and relatively well educated constituency that is likely to place considerable importance on leadership capacity, organizational effectiveness, and electoral experience when selecting national officers.
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