Accra, Nov. 6, GNA - National Democratic Congress (NDC) Parliamentary Candidate, Professor John Evans Atta Mills on Saturday sent thousands of enthusiastic supporters of the Party into frenzy at the Greater Accra Regional Rally held at Mantse Agbona, Accra.
Prof. Mills displaying great skills in stagecraft took the crowd by storm with blistering criticism of President John Agyekum Kufuor's four years in the Castle.
The Former Vice President, who is making a second attempt to take the Castle, which he was forced to desert in 2000, wowed the crowd with a polished speech devoid of insults and attacks on political opponents. He indicated his readiness to debate other Presidential Candidates in Election 2004 Presidential Debate.
Prof Mills catalogued the misdeeds of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) property - owing democracy that drew sustained applause and cheers from the crowd. He listed a litany of NPP failures and drove the crowd into frenzy with an adroit backhand.
He said the NPP believed that the role of government was to concentrate wealth and power in the hands of few people, who embraced its economic, political and social views, leaving the ordinary citizens to fend for themselves.
Prof. Mills stated that this year's elections would be a battle of truth versus deceit. "People are now clearly awake to compare the government of the NDC in eight years and that of the NPP's four years. You cannot fool all the people all the time".
He said the majority of Ghanaians were getting poorer on daily basis while few NPP elites were wallowing in riches and unthinkable pleasures.
The Presidential Candidate said the next NDC Government would ensure that truth; good governance and transparency prevailed to erase the corrupt and discriminating NPP Government.
"This is the time the truth will prevail over lies and deceit and light will also prevail over darkness and all kinds of malpractices." Prof Mills accused the Government of failing to create jobs it promised during the 2000 electioneering campaigns and gave the assurance that the next NDC government would do better in job creation and provide conditions for a better living standard.
He said the NPP Government, since its assumption of power had not done anything to improve the living conditions of the people. Prof. Mills tickled the crowd by referring to himself as a "foot soldier in our fight for the future," and the crowd responded with appellations in his honour.
The rally was organized to sharpen the popularity and image of the Party, particularly to project the NDC's Presidential Candidate as well as the 27 Parliamentary Candidates in the Greater Accra Region. As has been the usual spectacle at such events, the entire area, including the adjoining streets turned into a sea of NDC paraphernalia with some activists decorating their bodies with Party colours and symbols to show that they were proud followers of a major opposition party.
Prof Mills, who was the Vice President under Former President Jerry John Rawlings from 1997 to 2001, arrived at the rally grounds at 1555 hours and with his wife, Mrs Enerstina Naadu Mills.
He took the podium riding a wave of popular chants and gestures to the admiration of the crowd, which responded with deafening shouts of NDC slogans.
The Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the Party, Mr Josiah Alabi introduced the 27 NDC aspiring parliamentary candidates to the electorate.
The Former President Rawlings, his wife Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, Alhaji Mohhamed Mumuni Running Mate of Prof Mills, Dr Josiah Aryeh, General Secretary and other stalwarts of the Party attended the regional rally.