Accra, April 14, GNA - In the midst of Peoples' National Convention's (PNC) controversy over the legitimacy of the current leadership, a Presidential Aspirant, Mr Hassan Ayariga, emerged on Wednesday to redeem and lead the party in Election 2012. Mr Ayariga, a 40-year-old businessman and Chairman of the party's European branches declared: 93Having heard the cries and concerns of our loyal support base and well wishers for a change in the leadership of the party and my personal strong convictions. "I have finally decided to accept the challenge and thus make my intentions known to Ghanaians to contest for the flag bearership slot of the PNC at its National Delegates Congress later in the year". Speaking at a media encounter to declare his intentions, Mr Ayariga trumpeted the urgent need for a new leadership team with new strategy to move the PNC forward.

"As a true lover of the PNC and a believer in the unfinished agenda of Dr Hilla Limann, President of the Third Republic, I have decided to play a frontline role in the leadership of the PNC to provide a new face of the party with dynamism and vitality. "PNC must move away from its disgraceful past of retrogression from respectable 6.7 per cent in Election 1992 to the present despicable 0.87 per cent in Election 2008. "This is not good news and does not show a party growing, it is a signs of a party on a serious decline=85an indication that all is not well with the party and that something drastic needs to be done to save it," he said.

Mr Ayariga told the Ghana News Agency in an interview that: 93The PNC need to re-position itself to provide credible and innovative leadership to the good people of Ghana to ensure the true independence of the Nation.

The PNC Flag bearer aspirant, a senior brother of Mr Mahama Ayariga, Deputy Minister of Education, said 93As a youthful personality I will inject vibrancy into the party, to enable it perform remarkable in Election 2012".

He said the current status of the party did not make it attractive for people to associate themselves with it, and cited the dilapidated nature of the headquarters of the party as an example.

The beleaguered National Leadership has fixed Friday, November 25 to Sunday 27 this year, as the tentative date for the party's National Delegates Congress scheduled for the Brong Ahafo Regional capital, Sunyani.

According to the timetable, nominations would be opened in September for both aspiring National Executives and flagbearership members of the party to pick up, fill and submit their forms. Mr David Apasera, National Treasurer of the party, told the GNA that the Dr Edward N. Mahama-led administration had 93Set the party in a retrogressive gear", and called for a new leadership direction to transform the party.

"PNC needs new crop of dynamic leaders to bring vitality, transformation and inject modern political administration into our party's operations to attract most especially the youth," he added. Mr Apasera alleged that the party's four-time flagbearer, Dr Mahama, had failed the party, as statistics indicated that his fortune in elections since 2000 was on the decline.

Available statistics revealed that in Election 2000, Dr Mahama obtained 189,659 of the total valid votes of 6,500,870 representing only 2.9 per cent, and the party won only three Parliamentary seats. In Election 2004, the number was reduced to 165,375 out of the total valid votes of 8,625,785 representing 1.9 per cent but the party managed to win four Parliamentary seats.

In Election 2008, Dr Mahama's vote again reduced to only 73,494 votes out of total valid vote of 8,465,834, representing 0.9 per cent while the party clenched only two seats in Parliament. Mr Apasera said in view of the poor performance of the party under the leadership of Dr Mahama, 93We need new breed of leaders and flag bearer to revitalise the party as a third force in Ghana's politics and moved it forward".

On possible fifth term Presidential bid by Dr Mahama in Election 2012, Mr Apasera, who is an associate of the pressure group, 93PNC Committed Group", said the former flagbearer had officially informed the National Executive Committee of the party that he would not contest the position again.

"We trust Dr Mahama would not renege on his word to the highest body of the party, which have paved the way for the party to look for a fresh face to lead it into Election 2012," he stressed. Mr Apasera said: 93As a Co-chairman of the party's fund raising committing I believe we can mobilise the needed funds and material resources to organise an early congress=85 If we have the support of all leaders we can raise the funds."