Former vice-president, Professor John Evans Atta Mills, who is also gunning for the flagbearership of the country’s main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has told party functionaries that dishonesty and greed on the part of some them were some of the causes of the party’s defeat in the 2000 General Election.

Such characters in the party pursued their personal agenda to satisfy their selfish ends to the detriment of the party's well being, he told members of the party in Sunyani.

Professor Mills was in the Regional capital as part of a three-day regional tour to express appreciation to the chiefs and people for their support during the 2000 presidential elections.

The tour was also to solicit the support of delegates at the party's national congress in December as flag bearer in the 2004 presidential polls.

The former Vice President said such members who outwardly appeared as loyalists and faithful party functionaries, did not keep faith with the party. Rather, they indulged in the diversion of resources meant for campaign and other operational and organisational activities of the party.

Professor Mills expressed regret that monies and other logistics channelled through them for campaign purposes were misapplied and "that tendency and act of dishonesty caused us dearly to be in opposition now".

He, therefore, appealed to the rank and file of the party to rededicate and recommit themselves to the objectives of the party and expressed the hope that such unfaithfulness would not be repeated.

"It is hell and difficult to be in opposition, hence, we must pool resources for effective organisation to enable the party to recapture power in the 2004 elections". He tasked members to sacrifice their time and other resources for a resounding success in 2004".

The former Vice President said he was a more credible and winning candidate to lead the party because of the immense political experience he had acquired and called on the delegates to vote for him at the congress.

Mr. J. H. Owusu-Acheampong, a former Member of Parliament for Berekum and the National Chairman of Mills' campaign team, noted that it would be disastrous to deny Professor Mills the mandate to lead the party.

He explained that the unrelenting efforts of President Kufuor after losing to former President Rawlings in the December 1996 Presidential Elections led to his victory in the 2000 election.

Mr. Owusu-Acheampong, therefore, urged NDC members to rally behind Professor Mills as their flagbearer, "since he is the right person capable of securing political power for them".

The Member of Parliament for Techiman North, and deputy minority leader, I.K. Adjei-Mensah, who presided, advised the constituency executives of the party to begin a search for their parliamentary aspirants to contest the 2004 General Election. The time is ripe to identify them and employ campaign tactics such as attending occasions to market them to the electorate, he said.

Professor Mills earlier met and addressed leaders and a cross section of party members at Techiman on his bid for the flagbearership.

The former Vice President also called on parents and relatives of the late Alhaji Kwadwo Maama Adam, former Regional Chairman of the party at Bamire, his hometown, near Techiman, to console them.