Four years after a tied election that ended in controversy, Minaata Moomin has defeated former Regional Women’s Organiser Nancy A. Dery to emerge as the new Upper West Regional Women’s Organiser of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

The result of the weekend’s NPP regional elections has settled a long-standing rivalry between the two, which began in 2022 when both candidates tied in the Women’s Organiser race.

Many party members at the time expected a rerun of the election. However, the then-regional executives halted the process and instead appointed Nancy A. Dery as the substantive Regional Women’s Organiser, with Minaata Moomin named as her deputy.

The decision created a wedge within the party in the region and strained the relationship between the two women.

For Minaata Moomin, Saturday’s victory is therefore seen by many in the party as “revenge served” after four years in the deputy role.

In a concession statement on her Facebook page, Madam Dery thanked God and party members for the opportunity to serve.

“From the very beginning of my tenure as the Upper West Regional Women’s Organiser, God was by my side, and He remained faithful to the very end,” she said.

“Though I sought continuity, I humbly accept that God has His own perfect plan for me.”

She congratulated her former deputy and now successor.

“I extend my warmest congratulations to my sister, Minaata Moomin, and wish her every success in her new role,” she said.

“To ‘Team White’ (the team of the retained Regional Chairman), congratulations and my very best wishes. To Team Alaska, I wish you all well as well.”

Despite the heated contest, Madam Dery urged unity within the party.

“The NPP is our shared home. Leaders will come and go, but the party endures forever. Being in opposition is not our priority; reclaiming power is our top priority, and we must stand united to achieve it,” she said.

She thanked her family and “Team Nancy” for their support, adding: “This is not the end of our journey. Brighter days lie ahead, and God’s perfect will shall prevail.”