Accra, Oct 29, GNA - The Chairman of the Odododiodoo constituency of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Daniel Okai, has called on members and supporters of the party in the area to remain calm and united in the face of moves by detractors to divide their ranks.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Accra on Friday, he said this would consolidate the hold of the party on the constituency to ensure victory in the 2008 general election and future elections.

"The NDC should consolidate its hold on the constituency in the coming election to show the opponents of the party that Odododiodoo is a no go zone for them now and into the future" Mr Okai said. The Constituency Chairman stated that the executive of the party is aware of moves by detractors to "sow seeds of discord among the rank and file" to enable them to wrestle the seat from the NDC.

Mr Okai stated that after the victory of the party in the recent by-election following the death of Mr Nii Ayikwei Mankanttah, which was won by Mr Nii Tackie Komme, the constituency executive embarked on a programme to visit branches to sample their views and ideas on the way forward.

He said that even though only about 40 out of the 116 branches had been visited so far, most of them wanted the present executive to continue in office for having managed to win two elections within one year, during the 2004 general elections last December and the recent by-election.

Mr Okai stated that most of the executives of the branches visited so far expressed their appreciation for the strategies mapped out by the present constituency executive, which worked to perfection and ensured victory in the two recent elections and expressed the hope that they continued in office.

The Constituency Chairman noted that as a result of the electoral successes of the NDC in the last two elections, the NPP Youth Wing in the area was up in arms against their executives and the case was now even going to court.

He said the opponents of the NDC in the area found the present executive too strong and were looking for ways to infiltrate the ranks of the party, adding that, the NDC executive was aware of moves by the detractors, who had influenced certain leading members to agitate for the removal of the present executive from office and accused the ruling party of being behind the schemes.

Mr Okai stated that out of about 40 branches so far visited only three expressed the need for fresh constituency executive elections and said the tour of the branches was continuing and until all or majority had been sampled it would be premature for any decision to be taken as to the holding of fresh election or retaining the present executive. The Constituency Chairman pointed out that the present executive was not against election but said the wishes of all the branches must be sampled before a decision could be taken either to retain the present leadership or otherwise.

He said that until that had been done, no group should arrogate unto itself the power to decide for all the members of the party since the NDC was a democratic party and no group should try to "hijack" the wishes of the majority for their own "diabolical agenda to sell the party to the detractors of the NDC to hand over the constituency to the other side," Mr Okai stated.