Mills asks electorate not to sell votes

Accra, June 9, GNA - Professor John Evans Atta Mills, the flag bearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has advised the electorate not to sell their votes saying, it would be a grossly dehumanizing act if the people allow their votes to be bought.

"If you collect five Ghana cedis, 10 Ghana cedis or 20 Ghana cedis and sell your vote to any group of politicians, what you will be doing, is telling the politicians that they can take your vote for granted after securing the mandate to govern, and come back to you during election time and buy you for a pittance," Professor Mills said at separate rallies Amenfi Central, Amenfi East, Prestea Huni Valley and Tarkwa Nsuaem constituencies during his second tour of the Western Region.

"When God created us, he did not add any price tag to us and so, do not sell your dignity to any body who comes with money to buy your votes. When you sell your votes, you don't only sell your human dignity, but you sell your destiny as well," the NDC leader added in a statement released from his campaign office in Accra.

"And for those of you who have young children, if you sell your votes, it is the future of your children that you are selling and posterity will not forgive you for doing that," Prof. Mills said. The NDC flag bearer used the tour to spread his message of a better Ghana, along the lines of investing in people, job creation and a strong economy, infrastructure expansion, and running a government that will be open, transparent and honest with the people.

Prof. Mills also stressed that when given the mandate, he will be president of Ghana and not president of the NDC. Prof. Mills said having suffered some discrimination for belonging to the NDC, just as other members of the NDC, there was no way he would lead a government that would marginalize a section of the populace because of their political leaning.

"I know that even in the area of cocoa spraying, some of you have suffered because you belong to NDC. Atta Mills shall not make any cocoa farmer suffer any discrimination just because he/she belongs to the NPP or another opposition political party," Prof. Mills told the people.

According to the NDC leader, on the day he would be sworn-in as president, it was the national anthem that would be played and not the NDC anthem.

Professor Mills added that he would swear on the Bible and not his personal diary, and so God would not forgive him if he further divided the country by being president for only a section of the populace. "God will not forgive me if I continue to divide this country," he said.

He statement said after a very successful tour of the Sefwi and Wassa areas of the Western Region, Professor Mills was expected back in the Region next week to visit in the coastal belt of the Nzema area and operate in the Ellembele, Evalue Gwira and Jomoro constituencies. 09 June 08