Sunyani (B/A), July 10, GNA - A leading member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), on Saturday said the party's main objective after the Sunyani Delegates Congress would be to unite and strategise for the retention of power in Election 2012.

Dr. Ekow Spio-Garbrah said 93The New Patriotic Party is our biggest challenger, there's no doubt about it, they are a well-organised party, we cannot afford to rest on our oars after this congress", he admitted.

He was speaking to newsmen after the declaration of President John Evans Atta Mills as the winner of the party's presidential primaries by the Electoral Commission at Sunyani on Saturday.

Dr Spio-Garbrah put up a surprise appearance at the NDC Sunyani Delegates congress, as one of the party's stalwarts, who graced the occasion.

This followed rumours and suspicions that had went round in sections of the media saying that he was unlikely to attend the event because of his last minute withdrawal from the NDC flagbearership race.

Dr Spio-Garbrah said the peaceful and successful manner in which the congress was conducted had nullified the erroneous impression that the NDC was undemocratic and violent party.

He said 93It's one of the best organised congresses in the annals of this party and we are going back to strategise and revitalize the system in order to recapture power in 2012 elections. We believe the peaceful way the congress is organised would send the right signals that the NDC is a truly democratic party".

When asked about what would be the chances of the NDC in the unlikely event of the formation of a new party by ex-President Rawlings, Dr Spio-Garbrah replied, 93I don't think Rawlings would form a new party".

The former first lady and the husband departed the congress ground some few minutes after President Mills had been declared the winner of the contest.

Asked about what he thought about their early departure after the announcement of the results, Dr Spio-Garbrah said 93it might probably be that they wanted to leave the grounds for Prof. Mills to have more space to jubilate over his victory. I don't really know why but I think so".

He said it was generally expected that the ex-President would offer a hand of support and work together with President Mills in his campaign for re-election.