Aliu picks NPP nomination forms

Accra, Sept. 26, GNA- Vice President Aliu Mahama on Wednesday confirmed his presidential ambition by picking nomination forms to contest the primaries to lead the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Elections 2008.

The Vice President Mahama's motorcade was greeted with cheers from his numerous supporters who were wearing "T" shirts in which his portrait was embossed when he arrived at the party headquarters in Accra.

He walked straight to the conference hall surrounded by his security details and a number of journalists and was handed the nomination forms by General Secretary of the NPP Nana Ohene Ntow. The forms comprised guidelines, code of ethics of NPP, procedures and requirements and declaration forms to be endorsed by 10 party members of good standing.

Vice President Mahama said he picked the forms personally because of the respect he had for party hierarchy. He expressed the hope that whoever would emerge the flag bearer of the Party during the December 22 National Delegates' Congress would be supported by rival contestants.

Answering questions from the media, he said he would formally declare his presidential bid in due course to tell Ghanaians of his political vision.

Vice President Mahama, however, said he had been part of the success story of President John Agyekum Kufuor's government and had national appeal.

He said he had served Ghana and the NPP very well and was in constant touch with the people at the countryside to know their problems at first hand.

Vice President Mahama dismissed public perception that his political zeal to succeed President Kufuor was abuse of incumbency, stressing that incumbency advantage was everywhere and not alien to Ghana.