The Eastern Regional Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Dr Mark Oliver Kevor, has highlighted his leadership record and organisational achievements as he seeks re-election to lead the party in the region.
Dr. Kevor says his experience, commitment to the party and ability to maintain peace during its internal elections make him the right candidate to continue leading the Eastern Region ahead of the 2028 general election.
Speaking in an interview on Radio XYZ, he recounted his political journey within the NDC, explaining that he first became Deputy Regional Secretary after the person occupying the position decided not to seek re-election.
He said he subsequently contested for the substantive Regional Secretary position in 2014 at the age of 32, despite initial doubts among some party members about his age and experience.
“As the region was moving forward, I felt I had to contest. At the young age of 32, something that had never happened before, I decided to contest,” he said.
Dr. Kevor recalled that his emergence as a young candidate was initially met with scepticism, particularly because he was contesting against Mr. Gyambo, whom he described as an influential figure.
“People didn’t believe in me because I was young, but I worked hard to win the trust of the party members, and they voted for me,” he stated.
He won the Regional Secretary position in 2014, working alongside his uncle, Taiwah Boateng, who was elected Regional Chairman at the time.
Although the NDC lost the 2016 general election, Dr. Kevor said party members retained confidence in his leadership and performance, resulting in his re-election as Regional Secretary in 2018.
He said the support he received was an indication that members recognised his contribution to the party and wanted him to continue serving.
“In 2018, they voted heavily for me as Regional Secretary to continue working,” he said.
Dr. Kevor served in the position until 2022, when he decided to contest for the Regional Chairman position, arguing that the role required a leader capable of setting the direction and strategy for the party, rather than merely implementing decisions.
A major part of Dr. Kevor’s case for re-election is his handling of the party’s recent internal elections in the Eastern Region, which he described as the most successful exercise in the region’s history.
He said the branch and constituency elections were conducted without major disputes, court cases or disruptions, contrasting the process with previous internal elections.
“Today, everyone will testify that the most successful election is this year’s internal election, which I supervised. There were no issues anywhere,” he said.
He explained that the constituency elections were conducted over two days, with 31 constituencies voting on Saturday and the remaining two on Sunday.
According to him, the smooth organisation of the exercise reflected the structures and leadership approach he had put in place.
“Even now, the national executives have been saying that the Eastern Region paaaa, and there have not been any issues here. All this is because of my leadership, and we need that quietness and peacefulness as we prepare for 2028,” he added.
Dr. Kevor has also argued that the party needs experienced leadership as it prepares for the next general election, insisting that delegates should consider candidates based on their records rather than promises.
Using a football analogy, he compared his experience to that of a coach who has successfully guided a team from relegation struggles to the Premier League.
He maintained that delegates would be reluctant to experiment with unfamiliar leadership when the party’s ultimate objective was to retain political power.
“So, the delegates know that we want power, but someone who has never been in such a position before would want to taste power. No party member wants us to lose. They are not ready for an experiment, so they will definitely vote for the one with experience, the one who has put the necessary structures in place,” he stated.
The Eastern Regional Chairman further said the party’s return to government had created opportunities for members, adding that leadership should be focused on building structures that would help the party achieve its objectives.
He said these considerations had motivated him to seek another mandate to continue the work already started in the region.
Dr. Kevor also appealed to delegates to assess the candidates based on their contributions and capacity to create opportunities for party members when the NDC remains in power.
