Professor J.E.A. Mills and Dr Kwesi Botchwey, the two candidates who contested the National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearership as well as delegates who attended Saturday's special national congress have been commended for the matured manner in which they conducted themselves and for accepting the outcome of the elections.

Togbe S.K. Fugah, Chairman of the Ashanti regional branch of the Voltarians Co-ordinating Council (VCC) who made the commendation, said the peaceful and successful conduct of the congress practically demonstrates that the NDC was actually a democratic political grouping with respect for democratic values.

Togbe Fugah was speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Kumasi on Sunday on what was expected of the NDC, now that the issue of electing a presidential candidate for the party was over.

He acknowledged that in every election, there must be a winner and loser and for that matter, Professor Mills who emerged victorious should perceive it as a victory for the entire NDC and strive to work in collaboration with Dr Botchwey.

He said the mere fact that Dr Botchwey mustered courage to contest the flagbearership of the NDC alone was a great achievement, which has further added honour to the party's democratic dispensation and should therefore be lauded.

Togbe Fugah strongly advised that with the congress now over, it was imperative for the Council of Elders of the party and the founder of the party in particular, ex-President J.J. Rawlings to work as a team and device strategies that will make the party more united than before.

"The general elections in 2004 is a much bigger battle which we the NDC can only hope to fight and win when we are genuinely united", Togbe Fugah added.