Ward-Brew's exist, not a threat to NDC -Eddie Palmer

The break-away of the Democratic People's Party (DPP) from the Progress Alliance is not a threat to the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Eddie Palmer, Acting Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the NDC told newsmen on Saturday at Tema.

He explained that Mr. N. Ward-Brew, Chairman of the DPP has never been loyal to the NDC and rather Mr. Dan Markin who has associated himself through the DPP with the NDC.

Mr. Palmer spoke to the press in an interview after the inauguration of a 13-member executive of the Tema East Constituency of the party. The re-constituted executive has Mr. Eddie Doku as the chairman, Mr. Theophilus Addo Mills, Secretary, Mr. E. A. Sowah, Organiser and Madam Gladys Adwoa Tamakloe as the Women's Organiser.

His comments also were in reaction to earlier announcements by the DPP that it has opt out of the “Progressive Alliance” of which the NDC remains the dominant party.

The Acting Regional Chairman claimed there has been a division between Mr. Markin and Mr. Brew, "so if, Brew has come out to say that the DPP is no more with the NDC, he is talking for himself and not the totality of the DPP."

He was sure that Mr. Markin would also counter-act Mr.Ward Brew's breakaway move. The DPP front had been divided with claims of party chairmanship by both Markin and Brew. Mr. Palmer said victory for the NDC in the 2004 presidential and parliamentary elections could be achieved through hard work and perseverance.

Mr. Jerry Acquaye Thompson, former District Chief Executive for Ga District said the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has not been able to fulfil its campaign promises and urged the NDC faithful to draw a line and work hard to enable the party to win, to continue with its laudable programmes for the development of the nation.

Nii Armah Ashietey, ex-Tema Municipal Chief Executive who was the chairman for the function, called for commitment on the part of the members to help re-organise the party, particularly in the Tema East constituency, which has lost its parliamentary seat to the NPP on two occasions.

"We don't need to go into the events that led us to loose the seat, however, we all know that the refusal of a large number of registered voters to cast their votes showed that they were expressing their ill-felling about the way NDC was going."

He added that the people have now seen the differences between the two governments and urged them to re-organise to help the party win the 2004 elections. Mr. Ward-Brew, chairman and leader of DPP had announced the pull- out from the Progressive Alliance because NDC badly treated the minority partners in the alliance during the past elections.The other party in the Progressive Alliance is the EGLE party. The Progressive Alliance won both the 1992 and 1996 elections.