NDC will be victorious in Presidential run-off

Accra, Dec. 13, GNA - The National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Saturday said it is entering the Presidential Run-off on December 28 with confidence that its presidential candidate, Professor John Evans Atta Mills will win.

"The NDC is now engaged in concerted preparations for the Presidential run-off," Mr Danny Annang, the party's Greater Accra Regional Chairman told newsmen in Accra to commend the region for voting massively for the party in the December 7 Elections. The NDC obtained 52.1 percent of the valid votes cast in the Presidential as against 46.0 percent obtained by the NPP, whiles in the Parliamentary the NDC won 18 out of the 27 parliamentary seats in the region as against nine by the NPP.

In Election 2004 the NDC obtained 46.3 percent of the valid votes cast in the Presidential as against 51.9 percent obtained by the NPP whiles in the Parliamentary the NDC won eleven seats as against 16 by the NPP.

Mr Annang commended the electorate in Greater Accra, for keeping faith with the NDC and appealed to them to use the December 28 Run-Off to affirm their support for the NDC with a massive vote. "We have set the pace for change and we must complete the process with a massive turn-out and vote for the NDC to implement people centred policies; we control parliament and it is apparent that we take hold of the executive," Mr Annang stated.

The NDC Regional Chairman called on members of the party to remain loyal and to be committed to the cause of the NDC, stressing that they should not be complacent but rather gird their loins and support the party in its drive to ensure massive victory in the Run-off. The NDC Regional Chairman called on the media to be more professional and circumspect in its coverage of the run-off election because every Ghanaian is entitled to his or her opinion concerning the choice of party candidate.

"The media owes our society a responsibility not to allow this bias to show up in its coverage of the actual electoral process itself, since this can create unnecessary tensions and indeed, subvert the spirit of the process," he stated.

He appealed to all supporters, regional and constituency officials, foot soldiers to move out and campaign to ensure total victory, adding, "we should sell our candidate as Ghanaians are rooting for change." Mr. Annang reminded Ghanaians that NPP Presidential Candidate, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was rejected at the party's own Presidential Primaries in December last year as majority of the delegates; 53 percent of his own people - Delegates at the December Congress rejected him as he failed to obtain the more than 50 percent votes.

According to the NDC regional Chairman, Nana Akufo-Addo was imposed on the delegates by Mr Alan Kyeremanten the challenger who conceded defeat to Nana Akufo-Addo in the first round of voting paving the way for him to be declared leader of the party.

During the NPP National Delegates Congress last year, Mr Kyerematen stood down after the first round of voting to pave the way for Nana Akufo-Addo to be declared winner.

About 52 per cent of delegates, who congregated at the ruling NPP Special National Delegates Congress voted against Nana Akufo-Addo, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, thus making it impossible for him to obtain the mandatory more than 50 per cent of valid votes cast.

At the close of over 16-hours of voting and counting, Nana Akufo-Addo obtained 1,096 of the total 2,285 valid votes cast, representing about 47.97 per cent; Mr Kyerematen polled 738 votes representing about 32.30 per cent while the Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama placed third with 146 votes representing about 6.39 per cent.

Article 12 (7) of the NPP Constitution, on the Election of the Presidential Candidate states: "Where there is only one contestant for nominations as the Party's presidential candidate, the National Congress `shall acclaim his nomination as the party's Presidential Candidate. "Where there is more than one contestant, each delegate will cast his or her vote by secret ballot for one of the contestants. Where a contestant obtains more than fifty percent (50%) of the votes cast, he or she shall be the party's Presidential Candidate.

"Where, however, no contestant obtains more than 50% of the votes cast, there shall be a run-off between the first two contestants and the contestant with a simple majority shall be the party's Presidential Candidate. In the event of a tie between the two contestants, the run off will continue until one contestant obtains a simple majority." Mr Annang said based on the events at the NPP primaries, Nana Akufo-Addo did not deserve to lead Ghana and must be rejected on December 28 with a massive vote for Prof. Atta Mills