Takoradi, Sept. 30, GNA- Nana Ohene Ntow, General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) said the party would win eight extra seats in the Western Region in the 2008 general elections.

He said though the party had 12 seats previously, it hoped to win the others to increase its presence in parliament.

Nana Ntow said these at a fund-raising dinner organised by the Western Regional Branch of the NPP at Takoradi on Saturday. It was attended by a large number of party supporters as well as Papa Owusu-Ankomah and professor Mike Oquaye, both NPP presidential aspirants.

The other 16 aspirants were represented. He said the NPP had resolved to work hard and win the forthcoming elections genuinely.

"We will not rig or steal any elections but had intensified our campaigns to encourage people to actively vote for the NPP" he added. Nana Ntow said accusations of corruption against the NPP was only being used to create confusion and mistrust among the voters, but the party was not desperate and had shown exemplary leadership, good governance and tolerated divergent views. Nana Owusu-Ankomah, Western Regional Chairman of the NPP said the dinner formed part of activities marking the 15th anniversary celebrations of the party.

He said the party was determined to maintain its 12 parliamentary seats and annex another eight.

Nana Owusu-Ankomah said the ceremony was aimed at raising funds to support the activities of the party in the region before election 2008. He said the party needed material and logistical support to enable it to double its campaign efforts and called on all to donate generously towards the party.

Nana Owusu-Ankomah, appealed to the presidential aspirants to support whoever wins the leadership of the party in the December 22 congress. "We must not fight and divide our ranks but rather serve one another and move together as one people".