RE: New Veep tears NDC apart

My attention has been drawn to the banner headline story, 'NEW VEEP TEARS NDC APART', in Thursday August 2, 2012 issue of your paper - The Chronicle, in which you quoted me as saying that 'Mr. Yaw Boateng Gyan, National Organizer of the NDC shot the nomination down on the premises that Mr. Amissah-Arthur was an unknown personality in the scheme of things of the party and its grass root movement'.

You also quoted me as saying that 'foot soldiers of the NDC especially, would find it difficult selling a Vice Presidential Candidate who is not well versed in party matters and hinted of  problems with the grassroots acceptability if Mr. Amissah-Arthur was to be presented at the Special Delegates Congress of the party on September 1ST'.

I wish to state in unequivocal terms that these statements attributed to me are palpably false, mischievous and are calculated not only to tarnish my hard won reputation but also to misrepresent facts and misinform the Ghanaian populace and NDC faithful with the aim of running down Mr. Amissah-Arthur and the NDC party.

I cautioned the media and Ghanaians, during the interview with the Accra radio station not to get confused and conflict issues of nomination of a Vice President by the President and, the choice of a running mate by the President who has also become the leader of the NDC, under Article 26:1 of the NDC Constitution.

Besides the President, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama's future position as a leader of the NDC, although has been recommended by the National Executive Committee (NEC), would be determined by delegates at the party's Special Congress to be held not later than September 1, 2012.

I explained that the choice of Mr. Amissah-Arthur remains a prerogative of the President, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, but the choice of a running mate would certainly have the backing of the NDC through broader consultation as required by the NDC Constitution and Conventions.

These opinion and explanations, as I expressed during the interview were not meant to shoot down His Excellency, the President's nomination of Mr. Amissah-Arthur as Vice President of Ghana, pending approval by Parliament as your story sought to portray to the good people of Ghana.

Rather, I tried to re-emphasis the distinction between the choice of Mr. Amissah-Arthur as Vice President by President Mahama (which remained his prerogative) and the selection of a running mate for the would-be flag bearer of the NDC, for that matter Candidate John Mahama, should delegates endorse him as a flag bearer at the impending Special delegates Congress early next month.

I am setting the records straight that Mr. Amissah- Arthur is a senior and true cadre that I (a cadre) have known in the late 1970s, and it is on record that his nomination by President Mahama has attracted widespread jubilation among the rank and file of the NDC faithful.

Mr. Arthur resonates with the cadres and the grassroots of the NDC, and has been involved in a lot of activities within the party in the PNDC, NDC 1 and he is currently actively participating in the NDC's 'Better Ghana Agenda' program.

Mr. Amissah-Arthur's nomination which is expected to be approved by Parliament would undoubtedly bring the NDC together and complement the effort of His Excellency, President Mahama to continue the execution of the 'Better Ghana Agenda.

SIGN: 2/8/12
Yaw Boateng Gyan
National Organizer, NDC.