Friends of Kofi Portuphy (FOKOP) – a group supporting the candidature of National Disaster Management (NADMO) Coordinator, Kofi Portuphy, for the Chairmanship slot of the governing party, says the NDC needs Mr Portuphy to win the 2016 elections.

A press statement issued Thursday December 11, 2014 and jointly signed by Spokesperson Abdul Malik Abdul Somed, Secretary Saddiq Abdul Hanan, as well as members Issahaku Abdul Rauf and Ibn Abass, said: “Our reason for throwing our support “for Kofi Portuphy is simply based on an objective and empirical analysis of the strength and weakness of those aspiring for the National chairmanship portfolio, which reveals that Kofi Portuphy stands tall and for that matter the best material for the chairmanship position for the National Democratic Congress, more especially at a time the party is facing numerous challenges from both the opposition parties and floating voters as well.”

Portuphy is in contest with incumbent Dr Kwabena Adjei and former Minister of Trade and Industry Dan Abodakpi.

“…It is evidently clear that our friends in opposition are desperately looking for power and will employ all available tactics in order to get power come 2016.”

This among other things, FOKOP said, makes it necessary for the party to elect a “utility personality like Kofi Portuphy,” who is “politically sound, sociable, affable, tolerant, economical, and a unifier,” as Chairman at the party’s December 20 Congress in the Ashanti Region.

“In fact, Kofi Portuphy’s contribution to the great NDC in the past and in recent times is so enormous and cannot be expressed or stated in a document like this. However, his organisational prowess and his contribution to mother Ghana cannot equally be overlooked,” FOKOP said.

“The most recent that comes to mind is his current position as the Coordinator of National Disaster Management Organisation, which has seen a significant transformation and massive recruitment of young graduates and many job seekers to enable the organisation function effectively and efficiently.

FOKOP said it believes Portuphy’s character and philanthropy can “significantly influence floating voters to vote massively for the National Democratic Congress NDC come 2016 general election.”