Politics of Monday, 13 September 2004

Source: Daily Guide

NPP Battle Ready: Kufuor Names Running Mate

While the National Democratic Congress (NDC), dilly-dallies over who partners Prof. John Evans Atta Mills as running mate, the New Patriotic Party (NPP), will on Saturday, September 18, in Kumasi, announce John Agyekum Kufuor?s running mate.

The ruling New Patriotic Party goes to congress, this weekend, not only to undertake an annual event, but also to showcase a novel concept in Ghana?s politics, Daily Guide can reveal.

A 131-page book titled, ?Positive Change?So Far, So Very Good-We keep Our Manifesto Promises?, will be officially launched at the Annual Delegates Conference of NPP in Kumasi, this weekend. Daily Guide can also, authoritatively, say that Saturday?s Conference will end speculations over who President Kufour?s partner for the presidential election will be, as he is expected to officially name his running mate for the election.

The book is meant to symbolize the ruling party?s account of its three and a half years? stewardship, based on the promises contained in its 2000 Manifesto on which it won that year?s election.

?Apart from demonstrating our commitment to the principle of probity and accountability, the book is to respond to the propaganda of our opponents by which they claim that we promised Ghanaians the heavens, and have delivered hell to them?, a source close to the campaign committee told Daily Guide.

?When our opponents criticize us, they compare our performance to promises we did not make. They say, ?you have not built Rome in a day, therefore, you have failed. Yet we did not promise to build Rome in a day?, stated campaign manager, Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, in the introduction to the book.