NPP - The way forward.

Just last week, the much awaited epic New Patriotic Party National delegates congress successfully ended at Legon, Accra with the election of Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo as the flag bearer for the party, to contest the December 2008 Presidential elections.

We salute the men and women upon whose shoulders fell this onerous responsibility, and thank them for an honest job well done. We congratulate Nana Akuffo-Addo for this well deserved victory and the other contestants for a well fought contest, especially runner up Mr. Allen Kyeremanteg, for his maturity and sportsmanship.

The election of the flag bearer is over, but the real test continues. The main goal is that the party should emerge and stay united after the congress, and the time is now ripe for all the contestants to rally round the eventual winner. The party should put aside the internal strife and direct their rage at the opposition parties in the next year's general election. The NPP can and must win, but it will require the absolute solidarity of all the party faithful. The behavior of the contestants, party leaders, the contestants and their supporters constitute an important cue to followers outside. Repudiation of Nana Akuffo- Addo by any of the losing factions or an exhibition of any divisive behavior will spell doom for our party.

As a matter of urgency, Nana Akuffo-Addo should start unity consultations on the formation of a united front to campaign for and win the forthcoming elections. These consultations should be genuine, and not an attempt to heal wounds inflicted on the party after the tense, gruesome and sometimes acrimonious campaign. To make the party stronger and better, Nana Akuffo-Addo will need the support and prayers of all party faithful. Unity and friendship should begin now and all hands must be on deck without anger, recriminations or rancor. All should work together for the good of the party.

The next eleven to twelve months will be very exciting. Much was achieved at the congress, thanks to the extraordinary drive and efforts of Mr. Peter Mac Manu and his able lieutenants. They should use the same dynamism to make sure the party stays stronger and very much united, and that all hatchets remain buried. As Nana Akenten Appiah Menka said in Dallas , Texas USA during the NPP-USA congress, "In Ghana, individuals do not win elections, the party does." This is more the reason why the NPP leadership should rally round Nana Akuffo-Addo, so the party can go right on to victory with the battle cry of party unity, uniting for victory.

In the interim, the flag bearer and all the other contestants should embark on a post congress unity tour of all the ten regions to show case party unity and whip up enthusiasm among the party faithful, who have been divided as a result of the acrimonious campaign. During the tour, the party should be able to, not only whip up party enthusiasms, but also attract non traditional NPP voters and bridge tribal divides, for the strength of the party should lie in the diversity for the people, cultures and religions.

Our victory starts today. Our opponents are active and serious. They will use any means possible to wrestle power from us and turn the clock of progress, freedom and justice. We need to strike back, counteract their false propaganda and expound the achievements of the last seven years compared to the nineteen years of P(NDC) misrule.

Finally, Nana, all well meaning Ghanaians wish you all the best. Thank you very much for your promise to give a clean campaign devoid of insults and cheap shots. I will end by giving you one simple advice. In the words of Bahaullah ,(founder of Bahai faith) "The earth is but one country and mankind its citizens." Ghana is one big family, and you should work to eliminate all forms of prejudice and promote the concept that we are all Ghanaians. One human family regardless of tribe, gender, religion, culture, or any perceived barrier. Thank you.