I'm considering contesting NPP Regional Chairmanship - Ashitey

Tema, Nov. 05, GNA - Mr Ishmael Ashitey, former New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Tema East Constituency, has said that he was considering contesting the Greater-Accra Regional Chairmanship of the Party.

Mr Ashitey said his intentions were based on the encouragement he received from party members to contest the seat. Speaking to the press in Tema on Thursday, he indicated that he would officially launch his campaign after consulting party big wigs and other officials.

He, however, added that some of the top officials of the Party he had already contacted threw their weight behind him as they believed he was the best candidate to unite the region.

The former MP said the Party was not in the best shape in the region, explaining that out of the 16 seats they had in the region before the 2008 election, the NPP won only nine.

Mr Ashitey attributed the loss to disunity among party members, noting that until something critical was done about the situation, the fortunes of the NPP would continue to dwindle.

He said it was unfortunate that instead of uniting after the elections, some party members were allowing competition to breed acrimony among them. Mr Ashitey said there was the need to train polling station agents and foot soldiers who would meet the people at the grassroots to canvass for more followers for the Party.

According to him, the NPP lost the last election by members' own doing adding; "The winning of power in 2012 by the NPP does not depend on the performance of NDC, but us".

He recounted how he contributed to his party winning the election, especially the presidential, in his constituency with a margin of over 25,000 in the 2008 election over the National Democratic Congress (NDC). Mr Ashitey said this coupled with other achievements including strategizing to get more votes from Tema Manhean residents, showed that among his competitors he had the expertise to get followers, as well as a better understanding of the political structure of the NPP. He said he had learnt overtime that the people in Greater-Accra, like other coastal people in the country, were non-partisan, as they voted for the party with the policies that best suited them. 05 Nov. 09