Accra, April 11, GNA - Mr Alan Kyeremanteng, runner-up to Nana Addo Danquah Akufo Addo in the New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential primaries held last December, has commenced a national thanksgiving tour with a visit to the Volta Region. During the tour, which took him to Sogakope, Ho and Hohoe, the former presidential aspirant who now coordinates affairs of Identifiable Groups in the party's presidential campaign, made a clarion call for party officials to close their ranks. He urged them to rally solidly behind Nana Akufo-Addo and work hard for another NPP victory in the forthcoming General Election. The combined audience at the three meetings was made up of polling station chairmen and constituency executives from all twenty-three constituencies in the Volta Region. At the three meetings, Mr Kyeremanteng told party officials that the purpose of his visit was to express his gratitude to them for their support and spiritual guidance before and during the NPP congress. "Over the last two and half years, I have been with you to seek your support and spiritual guidance as regards my presidential ambition.

"During those visits, I made it clear to you that, it is God who crowns people. Now God has spoken and Nana Akufo-Addo won the primaries. This is the time to come back personally to say a very big 'Thank You' for your support and spiritual guidance," he added. Mr Kyeremanteng stated that, he would have come down much earlier but that was impossible because he had to join his colleague aspirants and Nana Akufo-Addo on a national thanksgiving tour, after which the CAN 2008 also took place. He told them that he would forever remain grateful to God for the fact that, out of record-setting 17 NPP stalwarts that contested the primaries he came second.

Mr Kyeremanteng also explained to them that, he conceded defeat to Nana Akufo-Addo even though he could have insisted on a second round of voting because God spoke to him to do so in the interest of peace and unity among the ranks of the party. "With the guidance of God, I had to sacrifice my own interest for the interest of the party and the country," he said. He reminded party executives that, the 2008 election was not going to be a walk-over for the NPP. "The 2008 election is going to be a 'champion of champions' event as both NPP and NDC have won two elections apiece," he cautioned. He, therefore, implored them to put in their best in the campaign to retain the party in power.

Mr Kyeremanteng also warned that, unlike their colleagues in opposition, their task was onerous. "The task of an opposition party in an election is simply to condemn the ruling government and make tantalizing promises. "However, it is not that simple for a government in power, since it needs to convince the electorate of its record of achievements," he stated. Mr Kyeremanteng charged them to take stock of government's achievements in areas such as roads, transportation, telecommunications, the National Health Insurance Scheme, the National Youth Employment Programme, economic infrastructure, the school-feeding programme, and the Capitation Grant and enter not only NPP members' homes, but those of floating voters to proclaim good news to Ghanaians. "Now the Congress is over. It does not matter whether you supported candidate A, B or C.

"Nana Akufo-Addo emerged winner so we all need to rally solidly behind him. What we need to do now, is to look forward and work hard and not victimize anyone because that will only weaken the position of the party", he said amidst cheers. Alan Cash, as he is popularly known promised polling station chairmen to collaborate with party headquarters to ensure that they were empowered for the upcoming elections. In his closing remarks at Sogakope, Mr Mark Boye, Tongu Central Constituency Chairman remarked that, Mr Kyeremanteng stood tall among the seventeen presidential aspirants who came to them to solicit their votes, because he was the only person who came back to say 'Thank You', even though he did not win the primary. Polling station and constituency executives made a passionate appeal to Nana Akufo-Addo to consider selecting Mr Kyeremanteng as his running mate, because of his overwhelming popularity, which they said he is a quality that can help the NPP retain power easily.