Dr. Kwesi Botchwey, aspiring to become the NDC presidential candidate for the 2004 election, said the interest and enthusiasm his campaign message has generated indicated that he would be the obvious choice of delegates at the party's congress in December.

He said: " I am so much encouraged by the turn of events since my campaign train kicked off a few days ago and I hope to carry the day come the December congress."

Dr Botchwey was speaking to reporters after his team had addressed a meeting of delegates from 10 constituencies from the northern sector of the Western Region at Bogoso to end his two-day tour of the region.

He said main theme for his nationwide campaign was: " A new vision, a new leadership and a new direction for the party."

He appealed to the delegates to give him their mandate to enable him to rebuild the "weak and crumbling party structures from the grassroots because it is the structures which hold the party together." He said there is an urgent need to strengthen all party structures since the NDC cannot win any election without the active involvement of these structures.

Dr Botchwey said as a true and loyal member of NDC he would use the experience and resources at his disposal to rejuvenate the party to regain political power in the 2004 general elections if delegates gave him their mandate.

He admitted that the struggle to wrestle power from the New Patriotic Party would be a difficult task but said it would be, depending on the party's presidential candidate.

Dr John Frank Abu, Member of Parliament for Amenfi Central, said it was reassuring that both Dr. Botchwey and Professor John Evans Atta Mills have pledged to support whoever would win the race.

He said the national executive committee of the party had decided to give equal opportunity to the two contestants, while the party' parliamentary caucus has also pledged to support the two aspirants. Madam Tabitha Quaye, Regional vice Chairperson of the party, advised the delegates to make the right decision at the congress because that would be crucial for the party in its bid to regain political power.