Acting Chairman of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Freddie Blay, yesterday began a three-day campaign tour of the Eastern Region.

Mr. Blay, who steered the affairs of the NPP to a historic victory in 2016, is vying for the substantive national chairman of the party after taking over from suspended National Chairman, Paul Afoko.

His first port of call as part of the tour was Krobo Block at Odumase-Krobo, where he had the opportunity to interact with delegates in the area. After his engagements at Odumase-Krobo, he proceeded to Koforidua, the regional capital, to engage other delegates with his campaign message which is, ‘Maintain Blay; Retain Power.’

Today (Saturday), the Acting chairman is expected to tour the Afram Plains and sell his message, then finally round up his campaign on Sunday where he will meet the entire delegates at Bunso.

The tour is expected to help him strengthen his relationships with the party’s delegates in the region, where the National Delegates’ Conference is scheduled to be held in Koforidua, in June this year.

So far, three personalities, including Mr. Blay, have declared their intentions to contest for the office of the national chairman.

The others are former National 1st Vice Chairman, Stephen Ntim and former Upper West Regional Chairman, Alhaji Abdul Rahman Short.

Mr. Blay has been credited for bringing peace and stability into the NPP after almost two years of turbulence under the leadership of Paul Afoko and Kwabena Agyapong, suspended Chairman and General Secretary respectively.

What is pushing Mr Blay to run for the national chairman position is his desire to see the party retain power in the 2020 elections.