Alhaji Iddrisu Mahama, former Defence Minister in the erstwhile NDC government at the weekend launched his campaign for the National Chairmanship of the party in the Upper East Region.

Addressing the Upper East executive of the party in Bolgatanga, he said he had no ambitions for the presidential slot of the party. ''My ambition for campaigning for election to be the national chairman of the party is to unify it,'' he said and called on supporters of NDC to unite and learn to trust each other, putting the party first instead of individual interests.

Mr. Moses Asaga, MP for Nabdam constituency and a member of the Northern caucus in Parliament, noted that former President Jerry John Rawlings and Dr. Obed Asamoah, were both needed in the party's quest for unification and added that everything should be done to foster a positive relationship between them. He urged all contestants to see the party emerging from its pending congress as a strong, unified body for the good of the country's politics.

Abukari Sumani contests NDC General-Secretary post

Alhaji Abukari Sumani, the Member of Parliament for Choggu-Tishigu, has formally declared his intention to contest the position of General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress of the party at the congress slated for 26 to 28 April, 2002 in Accra.

In an interview with the Daily Graphic at the weekend, Alhaji Sumani, who until recently was Ghana’s Ambassador to the Royal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, disclosed that he was answering the call to duty by the NDC and the nation at this crucial period in the nation’s history.

According to the Choggu-Tishigu MP, who since the defeat of NDC in the 2000 general elections, has been very active on the field rallying the members and supporters of the party, and seeking to win more members and supporters to the fold of the party, his decision to seek the mandate of the rank and file to oversee affairs at the national secretariat of the party is to avail to the party his accumulated knowledge and experience in politics and party organisation to help move the NDC forward.

“I am of the strong conviction that now is the time for me to step forward to join hands with other committed and experienced members of our great party, the NDC, to revitalise our structures, bring all members and supporters together and knit them into a cohesive force and fashion out new and appropriate strategies to make the NDC more attractive to the electorate.

“As General Secretary and member of both the Functional and National Executives of the party, I would be instrumental in championing the deepening and broadening of democracy, transparency and the active involvement of the rank and file at all levels in the making and implementation of decisions that affect the party. We shall unveil a set of policies and programmes that would project the NDC as a viable and better alternative to the NPP and thereby put the NDC and its allies in readiness to convincingly recapture power in the 2004 general elections,” he stressed.

Alhaji Sumani stressed the promotion of unity within the ranks and file of the party, deepening of the interest and involvement of the members in its running and collaborating actively with the party’s allies and other parties in the opposition, would be accorded the priority should the members entrust him and others with the mandate to steer the affairs of the NDC.

He pointed out that conditions in the country today offer a good opportunity for the NDC to recapture power in the 2004 elections and called on all members and supporters of the party to bury their differences and unite to advance the interest of the NDC and Ghana.

Alhaji Sumani had, shortly before taking responsibility as an MP, served the nation with distinction as Ambassador to Saudi Arabia for over six years. He is fondly remembered and admired especially by the Muslim community for the dedication and commitment he showed in advancing the interest of pilgrims who patronised the annual Hajj pilgrimage.

He is also credited with the further improvement in Ghana-Saudi relations and also for attracting Saudi investment and support for development projects and programmes in the country.

Alhaji Abukari Sumani, before the return to constitutional rule under the Fourth Republic, was a founding member of the Eagle Club, which later metamorphosed into the EGLE Party, which served as a useful alliance partner of the NDC in the successive national electoral victories it chalked in 1992 and 1996. He was also in the formative years of the NDC the Northern Regional Secretary of the party, a position he held with distinction until his appointment as ambassador.