The National Executive Committee of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has spelt out the modalities and qualities for the selection of aspiring candidates for the flagbearer of the party. According to the committee, it would be looking for a person who has the capacity to win the 2004 elections. That person would also be chosen by a popular and democratic process.

The Party’s Constitution, according to insiders, requires that by December this year a flagbearer should be selected. Dr Obed Asamoah, the National Chairman of the NDC, disclosed this at a workshop organized by the northern sector activist of the Party at Sunyani. It highlighted on the party’s new social philosophy and organizational strategies to ensure victory in the 2004 election.

He said a committee had been appointed to work on the nominations of the aspirants and that anxious candidates can start to lay the foundation for their claims.” It will be an advantage if the candidate will be opened to advice on the choice of running mate to maximize the chances of success,” he said.

He emphasized the importance of code of conduct for those aspiring to be the flagbearer of the party. Dr Asamoah said the code, which was being developed would not allow the party to play into the hands of an opponent through vilification, mudslinging and the undermining of the integrity of the party.

“It will enable us to avoid the ugliness of the campaign that we witnessed over the election of the National Executives a few months ago,” he said. According to him, the code of conduct must contain a complaints procedure that would allow persons who had serious allegations of impropriety on the part of a candidate to lay the complaints before a committee for investigations for consideration of NEC in order to negate the opportunity for vilification and mudslinging.

The Chairman noted that disunity was the only threat to the party’s victory in 2004 and called on all and sundry to remain united, tolerant and forgiving to each other, stressing “this may further require a process a process of internal reconciliation, tolerating the right of every member of the party to vie for any position he desires without seeing him or her as an enemy to be destroyed through character assassination.”

Dr Asamoah called on party members to work hard to counter the design of the New Patriotic Party (NPP). He said apart from the NPP’s intention to destroy the NDC, they were using all kinds of means of keeping power.

“We have to fight them all the way, whether they plan electoral fraud or the partisan use of state-owned media particularly GTV or use Akan ethnicity as a weapon to of organization. We have to broaden the electoral pact with other Minority parties and entice the non-committed in to our ranks,” he indicated.

Mr. Kwamena Ahwoi, Director of Research of the party, pointed out that the government was playing on the intelligence of the ordinary Ghanaian, by saying that it was not aware of the astronomical increase of tariff of the utilities. He said the government knew of it long ago and had even written to the World Bank to that effect. Mr. Ahwoi therefore called on the government to tell the people the truth.

Alhaji Kwadwo Mahama, Brong Ahafo Regional Chairman of the Party called on the leadership of the party to be serious with political intelligence work, which they lacked woefully in the last elections.