Politics of Tuesday, 2 September 2008

Source: GNA

NDC selects candidate to contest Lower West Akyem seat

Asamankese, Sept. 2, GNA- Mr Seth Okyere, a 42-year-old engineer, was on Monday elected as the National Democratic Congress (NDC), parliamentary candidate for Lower West Akyem.

All the 151 delegates present out of the expected 160 persons selected him by popular acclamation. Mr Okyere thanked the party for giving him the opportunity to contest the seat. He said his selection marked the first phase of the struggle to win back the seat from the NPP.

Mr Okyere urged party supporters to unite and work hard for victory for NDC in December.

He said "Let us eschew rancour, divisiveness and intimidations among the rank and file of the party. We must all get on board, let us forgive and forget one another and forge ahead for victory on December 07." Mr Okyere asked for forgives from those he might have offended during the process leading to his selection as the parliamentary candidate.

Mr Anthony Gyampoh, Eastern Regional Secretary of the NDC, called on NDC supporters to unite to enable the party to wrest the seat from the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

He said politics was about numbers and urged the supporters to intensify their mobilization drive to woo more floating voters to the party.

Mr Gyampoh, who is also NDC parliamentary candidate for Akropong, appealed to the security agencies to be fair in their dealings with all political parties before, during and after the December polls, saying NDC would resist any form of intimidation from any quarters. He said the NDC would deploy dedicated and trust worthy polling agents to monitor the elections to ensure that the party is not cheated in the exercise.

Mr Bismarck Tawiah-Boateng, Regional Organizer of the NDC, warned that any party member who would decide to contest the seat as an independent candidate would be expelled from the NDC. He appealed to party supporters to remain calm even in the face of provocation to ensure that the forthcoming elections were held in an atmosphere of peace and tranquillity. Mr Tawiah-Boateng told the delegates that the situation on the ground showed clearly that the NDC would win the elections hands down, but cautioned them to guard against complacency.