Gomoa Potsin, (C/R) Jan. 31, GNA - Mr Ekow Payin Okyere, NDC parliamentary candidate for Gomoa East has stated that the party is poised to wrest power from the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the 2008 general election.

He said the NPP has failed the electorate in the Gomoa East constituency and this would give them the opportunity to opt for the NDC in the coming elections, adding that the people were yeaning to cast their votes for him and flag bearer Professor John Evans Atta Mills. Speaking to the GNA in an interview on Wednesday at Gomoa Potsin, Mr Okyere said the only problem facing the people, especially the youth was unemployment and poverty.

He stressed that the NDC had the antidote to the problems and urged the electorate to vote for the party in the December elections. According to him, the issue has been identified by the opposition party and efforts would be made to create jobs and wealth for the people.

He said he had already initiated a programme to group the junior high school (JHS) and senior high school (SSS) graduates in the area to build their capacity to help prepare them for the job market in order to reduce poverty.

Mr Okyere said the people would vote for him and Prof Atta Mills based on issues pertaining in the area, adding that he had already started providing free education to about 185 children at Gomoa Potsin. He said the NDC would not need money to buy votes from the electorate because good works had been done that would enable the party emerge victorious in the December election.

Mr Peter Essel, Gomoa East Constituency Chairman of the party said marketable and credible candidate had been elected by the delegates to defeat any candidate that would selected by NPP, adding that the executives would work hard to push the NPP out of power. He said pragmatic measures had been taken to strengthen internal structures of the party to help win more votes.

The Constituency Chairman called for peace and unity among members and pledged that NDC would conduct its campaign on a clean note to avoid character assassination and insults and ensure violence-free election. He said the party's polling agents would be motivated to avert electoral fraud and suspicion during and after the elections.