Accra, Oct 8, GNA - Nii Okaidja Adamafio, Acting Chairman of Democra= tic Freedom Party DFP, has said the accolade 93Man of Peace" given to the president was appropriate due to his efforts in merging the DFP with the NDC. He said 93it is a Presidential Initiative on peace and I think it is most courageous on the part of the President to initiate the merger adding that the President last November invited Dr Yao Obed Asamoah for a chat on the sidelines of the funeral of the Northern Regional Chairman of the NDC, Alhaji Sumani Zakari in Tamale, which has culminated in the merger of the two parties.

Nii Adamafio said this during an extra-ordinary and expanded National Executive Committee meeting to deliberate on developments in the party and formally adopt a report on the NDC and DFP merger talks. He said 93 the NDC as a new mass organisation and was bound to experience occasional tumults and open rebellions adding that the departure from the NDC to form the DFP in 2006 should be considered as part and parce= l of the journey to political maturity".

Nii Adamafio said "it suffices at this time to remember that those who first left the NDC and have gone back and those of us who are now rejoining the NDC have all been motivated by one aim 96 how to enthrone the doctrine= of the supremacy of the party. He said 93our experiences and achievements of the past should inspire us, and guide us to march into any battle with renewed courage and fortitud= e and press on till more victories are achieved and we need not be hampered any longer by distrust and suspicion".

Mr Bede A. Ziedeng, DFP General Secretary, said the DFP as a political party would merge into the NDC as a single political party and operate henceforth as such.

He said given that there are two categories of persons in the exercise= , that is those who left the NDC to join the DFP, and those who came from other political parties to join the DFP, there will be a two-tier absorptio= n process into the NDC.

Mr Ziedeng said the first is all those who were originally members of the NDC, before leaving to form or join the DFP, will revert to their forme= r status as party members of the NDC as at the time of their departure. He said they will be required to pay all arrears of dues before being restored to their former status of membership and the second category includes those members of the DFP who came from other political parties other than the NDC and they will be entitled to register as new members to join the NDC.

Mr Ziedeng said in order to facilitate integration, there would be a co-option of at least two members of the NEC of DFP into the NEC of the NDC whiles at the regional and constituency levels, there would be a co-option of at least one DFP Executive Committee member. He said the proposals would be submitted to the President for approval= .. The extra-ordinary and expanded National Executive Committee meeting was attended by delegates from the ten regions and other leading members of both parties.