Anger & Hunger

…For power
…As NDC aspirants prepare for next week

NDC presidential aspirant, Prof. John Evans Attah Mills has said, his party is poised to use its forthcoming presidential congress to prove how peaceful and united the party is.

Contrary to what people have prophesied, he said, no one in the party has the intention to deploy any bad tactics to cause disorder at the congress and destroy the party.

“The people of this country have attributed all kinds of violence to the NDC… Let this be an orderly and peaceful congress…anyone who has plans to cause confusion at our congress is not an NDC man”.

Professor Mills made the above remarks when he took his turn to address party functionaries in Accra on Tuesday.

He said unity within the party is paramount and entreated all, including the aspirants to uphold it.

“Everybody is talking about people breaking away and all that, and what caused that? The problem with some of us is that, we have no respect for the truth. Yes, backbiting and all that. My brothers and sisters, now we can see things very clearly, let us resolve and we are going to move forward”.

He asked party supporters to stop forming small groups in support of any particular party member after the congress, because that would bring division into the party.

He advised leaders of the party to be humble and recognize those at the grassroots who through their effort and support have taken them to where they are.

Alhaji Mahama Iddrisu, another contestant, told the gathering that it was time for the party to make a “wise judgment and decision”.

He advised his fellow contestants to avoid manipulating the congress in their bid to represent the party in the 2008 elections.

“If you manipulate the congress to emerge as a leader, there is no way you can win the national elections. People must feel free to elect people they think can win the national election.”

He called for brotherliness and respect for one another in the party, because fighting within the party would not help the party to move ahead.

Alhaji Iddrisu said, “those who strayed into other parties, it is our collective responsibility to ensure they come back”.

He charged the party supporters to be “hungry and angry for power”.

Dr. Ekow Spio Garbrah, another NDC presidential hopeful, said electing a flag bearer is one of the many things the party has to do to win power.

“Beyond electing a flag bearer, we must devote almost the whole of next year to strengthening the party's structures, branches, offices that are closed, those without equipment…party organization, party discipline we must work on that next year…” He said the year should also be used for policy development and manifesto creation to outline the plans of the party to Ghanaians.

He said when he is given the nod he would renew and re-energize the party to move forward. He talked about the party's alliance with other political parties in the country and those outside who share the same ideology with the NDC.

“Re-branding, remarketing and re-promoting this party is going to be critical, and again if you choose to make me your flag bearer next week, I would be devoting a lot of time and attention to this critical aspect of the party's organizations,” he said.

Mr. Edward Annan, said the party needs a decisive leader to wrestle power from the NPP and promised to work hard towards mitigating or eradicating poverty in the country.

He said he would use the formula he used to make it as a successful entrepreneur to run the country. He would solve the unemployment problem by creating jobs to give Ghanaians a better quality of life.

He said he would use his financial clout as a businessman to give financial support to the party.

Mr. Annan said he would work with constituency executives and empower them to be more efficient and effective and help solidify the unity existing in the party.