FULL TEXT: John Mahama speaks at the close of Congress

REMARKS AT THE DECLARATION OF RESULTS AND CLOSING OF CONGRESS 9TH NATIONAL DELEGATES CONGRESS OF THE NDC November 18, 2018.

Outgoing Chairman and Presiding officer of the National Congress

NDC Members of Parliament

Newly elected Chairman and leader of our party

Newly Elected Executives

EC Officials, Congress Committee Members

Presidential Aspirants

Delegates

Security Personnel

Members of the media

Invited guests

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The delegates have spoken.

There can only be one winner in such a contest.

And that winner is the National Democratic Congress.



After today we put this congress behind us and forge forward together as one united body.

On behalf of the Founder of our great party and the Council of Elders, I congratulate the outgoing NEC, FEC, and all the Congress Committees for a wonderful congress.

But above all I wish to thank and celebrate our party delegates who converged from all regions of the country to make this congress a success.

I also thank officials of the EC for their support and work. They have been with us for more than 48 hours without break. We are most grateful to them.

We thank the Ghana Police Service and our internal party security volunteers for the herculean job in keeping order at such a huge gathering.

Thanks to my colleagues in the media for the hours and hours of coverage you have given us since the start of this congress.

The media staff who have covered this event and the disruption of your normal programming has been at significant cost to you. We are immensely grateful.

This has been the biggest gathering at any party congress in the history of Ghana. Nearly 10,000 participants if you include observers, special guests and other stakeholders. The sheer numbers presented its own challenges.

The number of positions needed to be filled and the number of candidates for most positions made for a tortuous election process. We are thankful however that all this has come to a successful end.



We are also grateful to hear that most of our delegates have arrived home safely. For those involved in the recent accident here in Accra, we thank God for sparing their lives and thank the staff of the Ridge hospital for the great effort you expended in attending to the injured victims.

I wish to congratulate those who were elected to various positions, and to state that from this night the awesome weight of the responsibility that has been thrust on your shoulders must begin to dawn on you.

For those who were not elected, you are truly as worthy and we count on you not to be discouraged. Ambassador Abodakpi, Auntie Betty, Alhaji Hudu Yahaya, Danny Annan, and all who contested various positions, you are all worthy to have been elected and we are proud of you. We expect you to throw your full weight into the battle of 2020.

“Together we win 2020?.

Ghanaians are looking up to us. We cannot expect to win 2020 by default of NPP’s poor performance in Government. Our return to power must be based on a humble persuasive approach to Ghanaians that we are not only a better alternative, but that we have learnt the lessons of our 2016 defeat and are prepared to give them even better service than we did in our previous terms of office.

For us in the political class we must learn that the power to make and unmake governments rest with the people. They must therefore be foremost in whatever considerations and actions we undertake.

We next have to face the election of a flagbearer to lead the party into the election of 2020. All candidates are worthy and I repeat my pledge that I will work tirelessly to see the party returned to the Flagstaff house no matter who our delegates select to lead the party.

Let me restate that unity and a common sense of purpose are the key for unlocking our victory in 2020 and with the spirit and energy I have seen at this congress, I can say with all confidence that in”2020 wo be ti po po ri po po”

We thank God for his bountiful mercies. May God take all of us back home safely.