'NDC candidates do not pose a threat to NPP in ER'- Alhaji Bodinga

Koforidua, Dec. 1, GNA - Alhaji Omar Bodinga, Eastern Regional first vice- chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has indicated that none of the elected parliamentary candidates of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), poses any serious threat to the NPP in the area.

He said considering the performance of the NPP since 1996 in the Region in terms of parliamentary and presidential elections results, as against the NDC, there was no way the NDC could even increase its votes let alone win additional seats.

Alhaji Bodinga said the NPP was well-positioned in the region and that they had set out a target to increase the parliamentary seats from the current 21 to 25 come 2012.

He therefore urged all party supporters and sympathizers to work hard to achieve that target.

The NPP regional vice- chairman was speaking to the Ghana News Agency in a telephone interview in Koforidua on Thursday in reaction to a statement made by the Eastern Regional chairman of the NDC, Mr Julius Debra, that the NDC would win more seats than the NPP in the Region come 2012.

Alhaji Bodinga said Mr Debra as regional chairman would have a shock of his life in 2012 as he suffered two defeats in 2000 and 2004 in the same Suhum constituency where he had once again been elected as parliamentary candidate.

Giving statistics to support his claim that the Eastern Region was a strong hold of the NPP, Alhaji Bodinga said in 1996, the NPP won 11 seats out of the 26 with NDC wining 15.

He said in 2000, the NPP increased its seats from 11 to 18 and the NDC managed to get eight seats, adding that in 2004 when additional two seats were added by the NPP to bring the number to 28, with NDC getting only six seats.

Alhaji Bodinga said in 2008 the party won 21 with the NDC winning six seats with one independent MP working with the NPP in Parliament at the moment.

He said such enviable record would repeat itself come 2012 when the NPP would win not less than 25 seats to prove to the NDC that the Region was their strong hold.

“We are not going to be complacent because of our record, but we are going all out to ensure that the region is once again delivered to the NPP come 2012”, he maintained.

Alhaji Bodinga said considering the performance of the NPP Government in the Region during its eight- year rule, as against the abysmal performance of the NDC government, there was no way the NDC could even increase its votes in the area let alone win an additional seat.

He urged all party supporters within the region to close their ranks and rally behind the Parliamentary candidates in the various constituencies to enable them to retain their seats and Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo to become President.

Alhaji Bodinga gave the assurance that the Regional secretariat was putting measures in place to ensure that the party won not less than 70 per cent of the popular votes in the area.

GNA