Accra, Aug. 2, GNA - Professor Kwabena Frimpong Boateng, aspiring to become flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Election 2012, said the NPP could not win the forthcoming elections without him as the flagbearer.

He said "Electoral statistics indicates that the two dominant parties - NPP and National Democratic Congress (NDC) cannot win Presidential Election base on its membership. The contribution of minority parties and floating voters are key. and I hold that key".

Prof Frimpong Boateng in an interview with Ghana News Agency in Accra on Monday, said that NPP needs a presidential candidate who can reach out to the other minority parties.

"I believe I have both the personality and affability with the necessary diplomatic knowledge, dialoguing skills and demonstrated track-record to deal with opponents even the NDC".

Prof Frimpong-Boateng said that the aftermath of the NPP August 7th Congress would be crucial, judging from the current perceived hot-blood between some aspirants and their supporters as well as the perception that some leading members are working for some aspirants.

He said that these developments created a potential electoral landmine which the party through the delegates must avoid on August 7th with an emphatic vote for change.

Prof Frimpong-Boateng said "we must vote for a paradigm shift for that is the only way we can call on Ghanaians to change the ruling party after four years in office".

He cautioned the delegates to watch-out "as your vote is either sentencing the NPP and Ghana to another four year term in opposition with hard labour for Ghanaians or liberation for transformed economy through dynamic leadership".

Prof Frimpong-Boateng, who is also Cardiothoracic Surgeon, credited as the first black person to perform heart transplant and established the National Cardiothoracic Center said he entered the contest to become the flag bearer of our great party for Elections 2012 to address challenges of the nation.

He said that "Am into politics to fix it all, I have done it before and I have the capacity to mend the nation through quality leadership that I will offer which would directly influence the success of Ghana."

He said an important function of leadership is to inspire those being led to greater achievements to gain competitive advantage over other countries in the globalize market.

Prof Frimpong-Boateng said "I stand for prompt, vigorous action and I challenge the delegates to cast their votes for me as the flag bearer of the NPP for Elections 2012, this is the time to elect a winnable candidate for the party."

He said the development the society depended on the quality of leaders adding the current political and economic problems besetting our country stem from leadership crisis being experienced by our country over the past decades.

Prof Frimpong-Boateng said "the signs of leadership crisis are alarming and persuasive There is widespread loss of faith in our major institutions such as the judiciary and law enforcement agencies."

He said there was breakdown of traditional values and discipline, and corruption was more or less institutionalized and no serious attempts are being made to fight it.

"There is total disregard for environmental sanitation; our pride as a people capable of playing our role on the international scene has been totally eroded.

"We have been forced by other powers, which have perfected the art of survival to adopt a system of government we do not understand. We are thus unable to take advantage of any system of government.

Prof Frimpong-Boateng said that every nation needed a relatively long period of peace, be it real or forced, to achieve socio-economic and technological development.

He called on NPP delegates to vote massively for a candidate with the ability to win election, transform the economy and alleviate the difficulties imposes on us through bad governance.