Former NPP Guru Joins NDC

Professor Al-hassan Wayo Seini, former Vice Chairman of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has joined the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) party.

At a brief ceremony at which Dr Obed Asamoah, National Chairman of the NDC, presented him with a gold membership card, Prof Seini said he was attracted to the NDC because it was the Party in which all different ideologies co-existed peacefully and in the interest of the nation.

"They are both Nkrumaists and Danquah/Busiasts, adding that, the Party had been able to fashion out a strategy in which two main traditions that had in the past been a source of instability have come together to work for national unity and advancement."

He named the other reasons as the unity and security that the NDC provided in its eight-year rule, adding, "for Ghana to develop there must be unity in diversity with clear cut national interests that must be protected by all".

Prof Seini noted that conflict in any area of the country reflected on the international image of the country and scared away investors and it became worse when serious crimes were committed and nobody was brought to justice.

Prof Seini explained that after resigning from the NPP in 2000, he took time off and considered which party to join, "based on my own beliefs, perceptions and convictions."

He said in the process: "I made many consultations with my immediate family, extended family, my lineage family, friends and many people in the political fraternity."

" ... while I took the advice of so many diverse people .. my decision at the end of the day is based on my own perceptions, convictions and beliefs."

Prof Seini noted that in his search over the last five months, "my father's Party in his life, the Convention People's Party readily came to mind ... but joining it would have been misinterpreted on the lines of the Dagbon chieftaincy divide.

He stressed that for other very good reasons, he declined to join the People's National Convention, Dan Lartey's GCPP and Dr Wereko Brobbey's UGM.

Prof Seini explained that he had not defected to the NDC since he had earlier on resigned his position in the NPP.

He said he joined the NDC because of the belief that in the NDC, all factions of the Chieftaincy divide on the Dagbon issue could work together to build permanent peace based on justice.

He indicated that it had the largest representation of members from all the factions and, " I believe that my relations with all of them is so excellent and enough for us to work together for unity peace and the development of the area in the whole world we Dagombas can call our own.

"The NDC, I believe, provides an adequate platform for permanent bridges to be built across the Dagbon chieftaincy divide."

In an apparent reference to Alhaji Inusah, who defected from the NPP to the NDC in the last elections, Prof Seini said his decision to join an opposition party puts him in a different category since he is joining an opposition party as against a ruling party.

"It is a party for both the rural and urban deprived. It is the party for farmers, fishermen, traders, businessmen etc," Prof Seini said.

Prof Seini said Ghana could achieve zero rate of inflation and bring down interest rates to single digits: "It is the perception of Ghana as a peaceful country based on justice, unadulterated discipline, law and order that will attract the required investment to develop the nation."

He expressed the hope that he will not be a stranger in the NDC circles, and pledged to join forces with the flag bearer of the party, and other members to wrest power from the NPP in the 2004 elections.

Dr Asamoah welcomed Prof Seini into the NDC fold, restating that the Party stood for social democratic principles in the context of political pluralism, with emphasis on functional and participatory democracy. He said the NPP was a sinking ship, given its record of accomplishment of unfulfilled promises, selective justice and the worsening plight of the populace.

"It would be a sad mistake for them to be returned to power at the polls in December this year. We urge all Ghanaians to register massively and vote out the NPP come December."