Tamale, Dec. 04, GNA - Mr John Dramani Mahama, vice presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Wednesday said the successful conduct of the December 7 elections would elevate Ghana and usher the country into a new democratic map of the world. He said this would open the country to international recognition and usher in a further deepening of the democratic civility. Speaking in an interview with the GNA in Tamale on his assessment of the current political environment, Mr Mahama said events to the run-up to the elections were relatively fair and campaigns were issue based.

"Although there are minor electoral misgivings, the general conduct of the campaigns have been fair, clear and personal attacks were minimal".

Mr Mahama said; "I saw very motivated electorate signifying that the elections were critical on which the future would be determined. This election would also determine the future of Ghana as one of the democratic countries in Africa".

Mr Mahama said he was confident that Ghanaians would rise to the challenges of the elections once more.

He said the NDC conducted three different polls, which showed a positive inclination towards victory but that the polls were not published because they were meant for the consumption of the NDC alone. Mr Mahama said; "The polls gave us the indication of the concerns of the electorate," and that the NDC was poised to be victorious in the December 7 elections to offer good governance to Ghanaians. He said he was bringing to the Ghanaian political scene "a strong support for Professor JEA Mills and "with my expertise in communication I have a deep concern for the welfare of the people," adding, "my utmost contribution would be "peace and stability".

Mr Mahama said; "I will work for the removal of polarization that has engulfed the country and ensure that every Ghanaian irrespective of his tribal, ethnic or religious affiliation has the right to life".