Politics of Wednesday, 1 December 2004

Source: GNA

Tamale bustles with political rallies

Tamale, Dec. 1, GNA - Tamale, the Northern Regional Capital has recently been bustling with political activities with each political party pledging calmness in its campaign messages to attract the votes of the electorate.

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) and National Democratic Congress (NDC), the two parties with the largest following in the country, were doing everything possible to catch the attention of the electorate. Last Sunday, the NDC held a well-attended regional rally at the Police Park, which was adjudged by many as the "mother of all rallies" in recent times.

Vice-President Alhaji Aliu Mahama's second "home-coming" to the Northern Region shook the very foundation of the Tamale Metropolis on Tuesday.

Alhaji Mahama, who is on a five-day tour of the Region to canvass for votes for the NPP, was welcomed to Tamale by an equally large crowd of party supporters and sympathisers.

He was met at Datoyili, eight miles from Tamale on the Tamale-Yapei road by motor-cycle and bicycle riding supporters, many of who wore the NPP "T" shirts and other party paraphernalia.

Other welcoming parties came aboard mammy trucks and buses amidst drumming, singing and dancing.

When the Vice-President's convoy finally arrived in the Tamale Metropolis, the large crowd lining up the streets surged forward to catch a glimpse of him.

Judging by the very large crowd that both the NPP and the NDC drew in Tamale, the "who is who" would be determined by the electorate come December 7.