General News of Monday, 10 December 2007

Source: GNA

From 'Gentle Giant' to 'Charismatic Giant'

Jake campaigns in Volta Region
Accra, Dec. 10, GNA-Over 100 New Patriotic Party (NPP) members from the Volta Region at the weekend stormed the Kanda Campaign office of Mr. Jake Obestebi-Lamptey, flag bearer aspirant of the party and pledged their unflinching support for his candidature, calling him the "Charismatic Giant".

"From 'Gentle Giant' to 'Charismatic Giant' will enhance the party's chances of retaining power in next year's general elections," they said.

They called on delegates to the December 22 extra-ordinary delegates' congress to vote for the "Charismatic Giant" (Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey), to replace the "Gentle Giant", President John Agyekum Kufuor, as he was the only person who could turn the Volta Region from "anti-NPP" to a "politically open place" where every party could have a chance of winning substantial votes.

They contended that if the one-time NPP national Campaign Manager was elected as flag bearer, party activists would capitalize on his strategy to neutralize the perceived stronghold of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and thereby galvanize between 20 to 25 per cent of votes in that region.

The group said since Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey did not have any negative public record, there was the need for the delegates to look beyond December 22 and vote for him, as he stood the best chance of winning the floating voters in the 2008 elections.