Although the two men seeking the mandate of Ghana’s main opposition, National Democratic Congress (NDC) to lead it into the 2004 general elections, have pledged to conduct in civility, reports indicate that it is getting dirty. According to the report, the two men seem to have either directly or indirectly introduced lampooning and open taunts into the campaign.

According to a Daily Guide report, Dr. Kwesi Botchwey asked in Kumasi, “how a man who has suffered a second round presidential ballot (electoral) defeat, could re-discover himself to annex the presidential seat”.

“My brethren, how can somebody who suffered a second round ballot defeat in the last elections for a party which was then in power, manage to win election now that the party is out of power”.

Dr. Botchwey who is currently being described in NDC circles as “father Christmas”, disclosed that he had butterflies in his stomach (shocked) when he visibly saw his friend, Professor Mills, pummeled in the 2000 presidential race.

He said it was against this background that he has emerged in the presidential fray of the party to save this contestant and the NDC as a whole from further defeat and strengthen democracy in the party.

Professor Mills, then vice-president, lost to Mr. John Kufuor in the last election, which sent Kufuor to the Castle as president of the Republic of Ghana.

Dr. Botchwey is reported in the Daily Guide as saying, Professor Mills cannot conjure the 50+1 simple majority that the country’s Constitution requires a winning candidate to garner out of the total votes cast, to be declared president, and therefore, called on the party’s delegates to take cognizance of that and make sure they do not vote for a potential electoral loser.

The former finance minister contended that it is because of the Mills’ jinx that he (Botchwey) left his teaching jobs in US universities to come and make a serious bid for the NDC flagbearership so as to save Professor Mills from what he called, “further public humiliation”, come the 2004 general elections.

The former Harvard lecturer however maintained that, he welcomes Prof. Mills’ desire to contest him and denied that he had in any measure, tried to run him down, stressing that he would in no way bite nor kick against Fiifi Mills (as he calls him).

He observed that, the “Swedru declaration”, which adopted and allowed for the endorsement only the law Professor to contest the presidential race of the party, has done a lot of harm than good to them.

This is because, according to him, most of the NDC’s strong fanatics, patriotic gurus and stalwarts defected to other sister parties or formed different parties as a result of the popular Swedru Declaration and the consequent shameful defeat.

Dr. Botchwey, who is the country’s longest serving finance minister ever, submitted that those who take Professor Mills seriously and believe that he is capable of recapturing power from the incumbent New Patriotic Party (NPP), or has something to offer the party and the nation, are his own enemies since such people do so to their own detriment. This is because, according to him, Professor Mills has failed the party and the nation. He told the delegates in unambiguous terms that if a man professes to possess a leadership quality that would enable him to wrest power from an opponent, the best thing for his followers to do would be to look straight into his eyes. Whatever that means.

Dr. Botchwey promised to do anything within his power to repair the tainted image of the party, bring back those party faithfuls who have neglected it and ensure that he wins power in the 2004 general elections, if he is given the mandate to lead the party.

He maintained that the woes of the NDC would worsen if it failed to unseat the ruling government, conceding that his party is saddled with numerous hurdles including massive financial constraints.

The task ahead of the party now is to rectify its internal wrangles and anomalies, get its supporters united nationwide and press on to successful elections in 2004. To achieve these, Dr. Botchwey boasted that it takes somebody like him who has the expertise.