Dr Kwesi Botchwey, one of the contestants for the NDC flagbearership has made it clear that he is not being sponsored by in his campaign by Bill Gates, the American billionaire, as being rumoured by a section of the society.

?I am a self-made man, who takes decisions without any outside influences,? he said. Dr Botchwey was speaking to The Evening News on Tuesday, as part of his tour of media houses in the country.

Accompanied by some members of his campaign team, including Hon Mike Gizo, MP for Shai Osudoku, and Dr Mustapha Ahmed, MP for Ayawaso East, Dr Botchwey also denied speculations that he was being sponsored by the NDC party chairman, Dr Obed Yao Asamoah in his campaign.

He admitted having business relationship with the American billionaire while in the United States, but stated emphatically that he never discussed his political ambition with him.

On Obed Asamoah, the NDC presidential aspirant said although he was his teacher and a ?political? friend who served in the same PNDC/NDC government, his decision to contest the flagbearership had nothing to do with him.

He said contrary to speculations that the flagbearership competition was a no contest for his opponent, Prof Mills, he realised during his tour of the regions, that the people understood his message and yearning for a democratic change. ?My message went down with the people who readily accepted that there was the need for a change,? he said.

Dr Botchwey said when he was in Accra, the stories he was reading from newspapers were different from what he saw during his tour, since people were ready to receive and listen to him.

On what led to the defeat of the NDC, he said ?Ghanaians needed a change due to the long stay in power of the PNDC/NDC which was one of the problems associated with incumbency.? Dr Botchwey said the previous government became complacent and arrogant. ?We made a mistake by failing to field the right candidates in the last elections.?

Dr Botchwey later paid a courtesy call on the Managing Director of the New Times Corporation, Nanabanyin Pratt.

Answering questions as to whether he was going to marry because of the high political office he is seeking, he said, ?I am not about to rush into any marriage for political expediency. I will marry when I am ready.?

Welcoming Dr Botchwey and his team, Pratt said as a state-owned media, the Corporation would be following the political campaigns with keen interest and inform the public adequately to make the right choice.

He said whether Dr Botchwey emerges as the NDC flagbearer or not, he still stands out as a great opinion leader. Pratt told the team that ?we are not supposed to take sides as a state-owned media, but we are obliged to give fair, balanced and objective publicity to all the contestants.?