Our victory is due to hard work, diligence- NDC

Accra, Aug 30, GNA - Prominent members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) have attributed the victory of the party at the Odododiodiooo parliamentary bye-election to hard work and vigilance. Speaking to journalists after the declaration of the results Mr Enoch Teye Mensah, the MP for Ningo Prampram, said the party worked hard to rally its supporter to vote.

He said the party was also victorious because it selected the choice of the people and that the victory was a signal of the exit of the NPP in 2008.

Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, the National Organiser of the party, gave credit to the ''foot soldiers'' of the party and said their hard work, determination, and house to house campaigning, planning and unity of purpose won the landslide victory for the party.

He paid tribute to the women in the constituency for the campaigning spirit and said the NDC has taken two giant steps, first by its victory at the Asawase bye-election and its victory at the Odododiodioo Constituency bye-election, towards winning the 2008 general elections. Mr Kwamena Ahwoi said the NPP lost because its candidate was imposed on the electorate out of eight candidates.

Mr Eddie Annan, the NPP Acting General Secretary, attributed the loss to low turn out of the supporters to cast their votes and said he believed that Mr Lenox Sydney Asofoatse Mankattah was still the best candidate.

He said the NPP supporters did not turn out as expected because they held the view that the parliamentary seat would not change the face of government.

The NDC candidate, Mr Jonathan Tackie-Kommey, 52, polled 26,771 votes, representing 57.85 percent of votes cast.

His closest rival, Mr Lennox Nii Asafoatse Mankattah, 36 standing on the ticket of the NPP polled 18,465 votes, representing 39.90 percent of total votes.

Mr Christian Shanco-Bruce, 63, of the Convention People's Party (CPP) polled 946 votes while the Democratic People's Party candidate, Mr Issaka Nii Amu Collinson-Coffie, 27, polled 98 votes, representing 2.04 and 0.21 percent respectively.

Total number of votes cast was 46,991 representing 57.56 of total registered voters of 81,643.

There were 711 rejected ballots.

Sheik I C Quaye, Greater Accra Regional Minister, attributed the defeat of the NPP to low turn out by the supporters and their belief that the seat was a preserve of the NDC.

He said the party accepted the result in good faith and urged all the party faithful to remain calm and desist from any act that had the tendency of causing mayhem.

Sheik Quaye called on supporters of political parties to abide by the police order that banned any form of jubilations after the results had been declared.

Mr Ato Ahwoi, a leading member of the NDC said the victory was anticipated since the party showed-cased a good candidate and designed excellent policy and strategy that worked out perfectly. He said the outcome of the Odododiodoo by-election was a reflection of the bad policies of the government that had brought hardship and the numerous allegations of corruption at the corridors of power.

"This victory should send a strong signal to the NPP that NDC is still alive and all it needs as a grassroots party is to put its house in order".

Mr Ahwoi praised the security agencies for maintaining relative calm despite the violent incidents that preceded the by-election.