NDC does not have a dog's chance -NPP

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has ruled out any electoral chance of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in 2008, saying that the party “does not have a dog’s chance to return to power”. NPP General Secretary, Nana Ohene Ntow told journalists at a press conference in Accra yesterday that the recent threats of mayhem by the opposition party were aimed at winning power through the backdoor.

However, the NPP scribe said, the opposition party would not succeed, stressing “the NDC hasn’t got a dog’s chance at the 2008 elections.”

According to Nana Ntow, NDC had no message for Ghanaians, except to recycle previous vile allegations which had been thoroughly addressed.

NDC General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah had in recent times been lapping on allegations that the NPP was recruiting party police for the 2008 polls, through the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP).

Ohene Ntow said this was not new from the main opposition party. “The NDC is at it again, doing what they know best- lying with confidence. And this time around, it is no less vicious than on previous occasions- that the NPP is forming an illegal army or police with the intention of using such a group to rig the general elections.

“This allegation is totally ridiculous, illogical and a despicable lie. The NDC is clearly nervous about the sterling performance of the NPP in government, and can already tell that the good people of Ghana are not about to exchange the sound management of the national economy for the NDC’s inept handling of Ghana’s economy,” he stated.

The NPP General Secretary explained that policies such as the mass spraying of cocoa, the school feeding programme, infrastructural development, capitation grant among other policies had won more admirers for the ruling party, making the NDC green with envy. The opposition party therefore, he said, had to take the path of crude methods of lying, intimidation and outright fabrication, with the hope that it would “hoodwink the good people of Ghana into voting it back into power.” He said Ghanaians could not be fooled by the naked deception of the main opposition party.

On the alleged imposition of parliamentary candidates on constituencies considered “orphans”, Nana Ohene Ntow said there was no truth in it, explaining that the national executive was strictly following guidelines as prescribed in the NPP constitution.

“Our party’s constitution has clear guidelines and procedures regarding the selection of candidates based on democratic principles.” The National Chairman of NPP, Peter Mac Manu said it was not part of the party’s agenda to impose candidates on constituencies.

However, Mr. Mac Manu said the party would encourage consensus building among contestants in order to present acceptable candidates who would win seats for the party.

According to him, the NPP lost 64 seats in the last elections as a result of misunderstanding arising out of primaries. Having learnt its lessons albeit bitterly, it was not ready to receive another blow at the next election, he said.

“We need to cut our losses,” the NPP Chairman stressed. The NPP, Mac Manu said, was a growing party ready to grab more parliamentary seats in next elections and win the polls hands down.