NDC cannot win elections -Obed

"There is no way the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) can win any meaningful general elections in the country; be it the 2008 general elections or beyond," the Founder and Patron of the Democratic Freedom Party (DFP), Dr. Obed Yao Asamoah, has prophesied.

NDC can believe it or not, but it can never win any elections, because the good people of the land have lost confidence in that party, Dr. Obed Asamoah added.

Dr. Obed Yao Asamoah spoke these words of prophesy when he was addressing teeming supporters of the Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) at Awutu Bawjiase in the Awutu-Efutu-Senya District of the Central Region at the weekend.

According to him, evidence abounds to show that since 1996 the NDC has not been in touch with voters and the masses across the country. The recent District Level Elections, he explained, showed the NDC the exit from political elections, and it should have known then that its days were numbered.

Dr. Asamoah affirmed, "Supporters of Democratic Freedom Party should not be afraid that we are getting late in the race for power. We are not. Those of you who were members of the NDC must forever remember that the split in that party arose principally over differences of opinions with regards to the chances of the party given a particular leadership.

"The intolerant ones in the leadership of the party sought to silence those of us with a difference of opinion through brute force, forgetting about the democratic precepts of the national constitution," he observed and added, "I can assure you that, our appreciation of the situation has not changed, and we cannot see how NDC can win the 2008 elections and [any] beyond".

Explaining further, Dr. Asamoah noted that, among other factors is the significant pointer to the fact that in the recent District Assembly elections, the NDC did not show any improved strength in the Central Region.

According to him, if the NDC should win any elections, it should win the Central and Western Regions massively, but indications are contrary these days.

"Successive general elections in the 'country have demonstrated the erosion of support for the' NDC presidential candidate in the Central Region, he observed and explained, "In the 1st Round in 2000, it had 43.73%; in the 2nd Round, it had 39.69%, and in 2004 it had 39.20%. The situation in the Western Region was about the same."

The founder of DFP continued, "Contrast that with the NPP voter strength progression in NDC strongholds from 4.95% to 14% in the Volta Region between 1996 and 2004. [Over the same period], the NPP had 33.45% to 36% in the Northern Region; from 17.61% to 31.66% in Upper East and from 11.19% to 32.23% in Upper West. I have always said that until the NDC can win in Central and Western Regions, it has no chance of winning elections."

According to Dr. Asamoah, it is true that District Assembly elections are not conducted along party lines, but because of the realisation that District Assembly members are focal point of organization, it is an open secret that political parties use that election to test their strength.

He disclosed that the NDC lost miserably in the two regions to the west of Greater Accra, adding, it has to know that its days are numbered.

Dr. Asamoah lamented their politic of impunity. Apparently referring to the NDC, he cried out, "It is politics of impunity to organise vicious attack in the media intended to denigrate the chairman of your own political party even in an election year.

It is worse to do it using persons who cannot compare with him in terms of age, education, achievements, experience and political clout. This is extreme indiscipline, and leaders who can foster that are not fit to rule Ghana. No nation can make progress without discipline."

He continued, "It is politics of impunity to wantonly destroy a hotel built with a loan of about US$6 million close to an election.

This is extreme contempt for public opinion and the human rights provision of the Constitution. It is politics of impunity to organise hooligans to beat up women at your own party congress on the grounds that they differ with you in opinion."

"Such conduct contemptuously ignores the dignity of women who constitute the majority of the Ghanaian population," he added.

Dr. Asamoah, who is the former chairman of the NDC cautioned voters and the nation as a whole by saying "Ghanaians must judge political parties and their leaders by their attitude to politics of impunity.

The DFP abhors it. By joining us you have committed yourself to a crusade against it and against other political evils."

Touching on the vision of his party, the DFP founder and patron announced that, the party intends to offer the opportunity for the youth and women to assume leadership in the country.

He disclosed that, DFP has on the drawing board innovative ideas such as agricultural revolution for poverty reduction that will also be a basis for industrialization, the inclusion of chiefs in membership of District Assemblies and devolution of certain powers of administration to them, restriction of trade liberalisation and the enjoyment by private schools of capitation grant and other privileges."

Both the National Chairman of the DFP and the Organiser Alhaji Isaaka Rahman, and Mr. Osei Piesie Anto, tasked supporters to set themselves forth organisers to ensure victory for the party in the 2008 general elections.