A leading member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) branch in the Central Region, Dr Thomas Aubyn has refuted claims made by the Regional Chairman, Dr Ato Quarshie, to the effect that the entire regional branches of the party has endorsed the candidature of Preofessor J.E.A. Mills for the Flagbearer position of the party.

He said “The views of the regional executives, who passed the resolution, do not represent the views of all the 17 constituencies in the region, and therefore it was wrong for them to have passed that resolution”. The denial was contained in a statement issued by the leading member in reaction to an earlier statement by the central regional chairman pledging the support of the entire Central Regional branch of the party to the flagbearer of he NDC for the 2000 general elections.

According to Dr Aubyn, the pronouncement was both undemocratic and arbitrary. He stressed that, “The party must be seen to be encouraging internal democracy by encouraging all members who think they are qualified and interested to contest the flagbearership”. He said “The regional executive must not show any open bias towards any candidate as that would tend to alienate supporters of other interested candidates preferred and openly supported by the regional executive should he eventually emerge as the flagbearer. The executive of the region should not endorse any particular candidate ahead of the national delegates’ congress to elect a flagbearer for the party,” he contended.

He lauded the directive of the National Executive prohibiting any branch or structure of the party from endorsing or supporting the candidature of any personality for the flagbearer position and urged members of the NDC to adhere to the directive in the supreme interest of the party. Dr Aubyn described as “The insider asked” the decision of Dr Kwesi Botchwey, a former Minister of Finance, to contest the flagbearer position of the party and said that the entry into the race of a man of such immense stature, clout and credibility as Dr Botchwey would undoubtedly confer greater benefits on the NDC and further brighten its prospects of recapturing power in the 2004 elections.

He urged “I also call on members of the party not to vilify other members of the party, who expressed contrary opinions on issues, be it party or national”. “I also call on the founder of the party to unite all party executives and functionaries to enable the party to regain power in the 2004 general elections”. “And lastly, I call on all Nkrumaist forces, including the NDC, CPP, PNC and GCPP, to combine forces in the forthcoming general elections”.