Mahama Polls 99.5%
PRESIDENT JOHN Dramani Mahama yesterday secured the flagbearership of his party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), with a massive endorsement.
He had 99.5% of the votes cast by delegates at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi.
Mahama polled 2767 out of the 2781 total votes cast.
Fourteen delegates voted 'No' to object to President Mahama becoming the flagbearer of the NDC in the December 7 polls, while 11 ballots were rejected.
In a speech, the president, who has less than four months to campaign against his main opponent Nana Akufo-Addo of the NPP, said the presence of Jerry John Rawlings at the party's extraordinary national delegates' congress did not mean the frosty relation between the party and its founder had ended.
He however stated that Mr. Rawlings' presence at the event was the first step in a long journey to help heal all wounds between the party's leadership and the NDC founder.
President Mahama noted that the NDC founder's presence at the event presented a golden opportunity for the party to resolve its differences with him.
He regretted that the party, after striving to win the 2008 elections, had failed to unite its rank and file.
Mills Death Opens Opportunities
President Mahama said though the death of President Mills was sad, his passing away had opened a new door of opportunities for them.
The NDC leader assured his party delegates that he would use his authority to bring lasting peace between the NDC and Mr. Rawlings so that the party could be united and be stronger for the task ahead.
He was of the view that the resounding cheers that greeted the mere mention of Mr. Rawlings's name at the congress grounds was an indication that the party's faithful loved their founder and they wanted to see him united with the party once again.
President Mahama, who stressed on the need for the NDC to remain united ahead of the elections, also said the cheers that Mr. Rawlings's name attracted at the congress had proved that the NDC supporters were fed up with the seeming rift between the founder and the party.
President Mahama therefore called for the total support of all and sundry in the NDC, promising that with their staunch backing, he would work to cement the bond of unity in the ruling political party.
The NDC flagbearer gave the assurance also that he would restore the hope and confidence that Ghanaians used to have in the NDC some years back, adding that he would help make the NDC the greatest political party in the country.
NDC Behind Time
President Mahama observed that the sudden death of President Mills which resulted in the NDC going to congress again to elect its flagbearer had put the ruling party behind, in terms of time, to campaign.
He stated that this difficult situation should compel NDC members to work extra hard in order for the party to retain political power in the December elections, insisting that time was not on their side.
President Mahama charged the supporters across the country to quickly start vigorous campaigning in order to win more voters to their side, pointing out that the NDC had just three months and one week to campaign.
Violence
President Mahama stated that he was a man of peace so party supporters should follow his lead by doing away with all acts that had the potential of disturbing the peace of the country.
He charged the NDC supporters to be vigilant during the national elections but was quick to state that they should try as much as possible to eschew all violent acts that could hurt Ghana's peace.
'Be vigilant but not violent,' he said, insisting that Ghana was a peaceful country and he was prepared to play a key role to help sustain the country's peace.
President Mahama assured Ghanaians that irrespective of the outcome of the polls, Ghana's peace would be intact after the elections, repeating that the 'all die be die' mantra of Nana Akufo-Addo of the NPP would not have a place in the country.
God, he stated, was firmly in control of the country, therefore Ghana would still continue to be the beacon of hope in Africa after the next elections, insisting that the NDC was hopeful of winning the elections.
One Touch
President Mahama said he was the clear favourite for the upcoming national elections, emphatically stating that the NDC would record a first-round victory.
Sounding confident, the NDC presidential candidate for the 2012 polls said the next presidential election would not travel to the second round, stating that the NDC would win with its own efforts without support from any quarters or political party.
President Mahama then lifted his right hand in the air with his index finger pointed to the sky, indicating that his action was a sign that the NDC would record a first-round victory in the polls.
NDC New Slogan
The president said the NDC had now adopted a new slogan in line with its ambition of winning the next general elections first round.
He then shouted, 'Ego bee', the slogan of the telecoms company MTN, and the enthusiastic NDC faithful responded by saying, 'Keke.'
From I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr & Ernest Kofi Adu, K'si.