A research finding conducted by the Political Science Department of the University of Ghana has faulted founder of the NDC, Jerry Rawlings for being the main cause of the party?s defeat in the Central region, in the 2004 elections.

Head of political science department of the University of Ghana, Prof K. Boafo-Arthur said outburst of the former president contributed to the party?s abysmal performance in the Central region during the 2004 elections.

The research survey was entitled ? A comparative analysis of the 2004 election survey in the Mftanstiman west and east and Cape Coast Constituencies.? Was presented on Wednesday during a 2-day conference on the 2004 General Elections.

Prof Kwame Boafo-Arthur urged the NDC to examine itself against what he called ? threatening utterances? by the former president if the party was to regain its lost glory.

He said politicians should be circumspect anytime they are reacting to certain issues since the electorate never forgets such unfortunate remarks.

? That the NDC should also examine themselves because threatening utterances by their founder, leader and irrepressible Jerry Rawlings contributed in no small way to their debacle in the Central region.

? From the reports we had, if you mount a platform and you say that a vote for Mills is a vote for me, when many people know your record, it?s a minus. If you mount a platform and say that I will come back?come back where? 19 years, come back to do what?? he asked.

Prof Boafo Arthur said it is evident from the finding that the NDC perhaps did not put in enough resources in the Central region but rather banged its hopes on the fact that the party?s flag bearer comes from that region.

The Professor said though the NPP has before the 2004 elections declared its intention of sweeping all the three seats in the constituencies under consideration, his pre-election survey revealed fifty-fifty chances for both NDC and NPP.

He said the success was going to go to the party that is going to mount door-to-door campaign to win the electorate who most of them have been disenchanted by fulfilled promises.

According to him the issue of ethnicity had very little role to play in the Central region despite the fact that the electorate voted on issues.

Besides the positive remarks made by the electorate on the improvement in the economy, Prof Boafo-Arthur said very high percentage of people interviewed in the three constituencies had absolute confidence in the democratic process.