Sekondi, March. 23, GNA- The Sekondi and Essikado-Ketan constituencies of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Saturday organised separate delegates congresses at Sekondi and Essikado to elect their Parliamentary candidates for the 2008 general election in December.

At Sekondi, Ms Betty Bosomtwi-Sam, an Educationist, polled 82 votes to beat two other contestants, Alhaji Omar Bekure and Alhaji Ali Raji who had 32 and 18 votes respectively.

Mr David Mensah, one of the two contestants for the Essikado-Ketan constituency announced his decision to withdraw from the race in favour of Mr Victor Henry Abbey Hart, an Accountant of the Ministry of Health, just before balloting amid jubilation and loud cheers from the delegates, who later gave Mr Hart the nod. Officials from the Electoral Commission (EC) conducted the voting, which was peaceful and orderly.

Madam Tabitha Quaye, a member of the Council of Elders of the party, Colonel Kaku Korsah (retired), NDC Regional Organiser and Mr J.R.D. Kobina, Regional Secretary of the party, were among party officials who supervised the voting.

While the upcoming election would be Mr Hart's first attempt to win the Essikadu-Ketan seat for the NDC, this would be the second attempt for Ms Bosomtwi-Sam to annex the Sekondi Parliamentary seat.

She was beaten by Papa Owusu Ankomah of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the 2004 election.

Ms Bosomtwi-Sam and Mr Hart promised to work hard to ensure victory and appealed to NDC supporters and sympathisers to remain loyal and focused in the efforts to wrest power from the NPP.

Colonel Kaku Korsah, said the party was mindful of the enormous task ahead and would leave no stone unturned to bring back NDC to power, and added that, "this will demand great sacrifices from the rank and file of the party".

He advised members, particularly party activists to educate themselves and be conversant with the constitution, especially on areas that deals with the conduct of elections, to be able to detect any form of malpractices at the polling stations during the election. Mr Solomon Nkansah, NDC Western Regional Youth Organiser, announced that the party was "seriously rebuilding its structures", and that unity must be the watchword for all, if the NDC wants to win the upcoming elections.