Accra, (Crusading Guide) -- One of the aspirants in the race for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearership slot, Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye has rubbished a purported nation-wide poll conducted by the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) on the popularity of the party’s flagbearer aspirants.

The Political Science Professor and Member of Parliament (MP) for Dome-Kwabenya, who has never been favoured by any of these polls has charged at their authenticity describing them as “propaganda polls”.

Meanwhile, yesterday’s edition of the Ghanaian Observer newspaper published the reports of the said poll which placed the Professor at the thirteenth place.

Obviously not satisfied with the results, the NPP guru said on Citi FM, an Accra-based radio station’s morning show programme that “I doubt the poll and we should not rely on propaganda polls”.

He continued that it was also too early for such predictions since the congress itself was slated for December.

Confident about his chances in the race, Prof. Oquaye who has in recent times been in the media highlighting his vision for the party and the country, said “I know am winning this race, because of my message and pedigree”.

When asked if he had the necessary criteria set out for the one who should lead the party, he answered that “yes the party needs a committed person, a candidate who can unite the party, win floating votes over and have the capacity to unite the party”.

He continued to explain that a candidate’s ability to unite the party was very important adding that “guided by lessons of history in the 1979 election if we had united we would have won against the PNP”.

The presidential hopeful went on to advise delegates to vote for a candidate who had all these qualities as well as a candidate who would not only be articulate, but has the ability to implement the party’s vision.

Prof. Oquaye was full of praise for Ghana’s first President Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah for his vision for the country but stated that the forebears of his party also had a role to play in Ghana’s attainment of independence in 1957.

Touching on his vision for the country, the presidential hopeful stressed the need to restore dignity and professionalism in the military.

This he said, he would commence with recruitment and good training programmes, adding that “there should be strict adherence to recruitment, you don’t pressurize the military to bring in bad nuts”.

Still on his plans for the military, the flagbearer aspirant said promotion and conditions of service were also major requirements in the improvement of the military.

According to the political scientist, issues of release and resettlement in the military were some of the main ingredients of coups d’etat in Africa.

“When Soldiers are released they must fit into civilian life; they must be brought into established institutions”, he suggested.

Prof. Oquaye promised that when voted into power, he would introduce a policy known as the Systematic Adjustment to Civilian Life, which he said was done in other countries to help soldiers to retire gently and comfortably into civilian life.

He also reiterated his corn revolution vision for the country, saying that the corn plant can be used to change the fortunes of the country.