Botwe is rightful person to succeed JAK

Sunyani, Oct 10, GNA - The New Patriotic Party will win the 2008 elections by 'one touch' and Mr Dan Botwe, as the party's flag bearer, will ensure a sweet triple victory for the party, a spokesman for the aspirant has said in Sunyani.

Mr. Joojo Essel-Cobbah, the spokesman, was interacting with journalists as part of Mr Dan Botwe's campaign in the Brong Ahafo Region.


"Mr Dan Botwe is a master strategist and as General Secretary he led the NPP to its first election victory in 28 years,'' he said.


The spokesman said the foundation laid by President John Agyekum Kufuor's administration needed someone with vision to build on it and the former Information Minister, "who led the party's army of foot soldiers in the trenches" to achieve the victories was the most suitable person.


"He is the person with the can-do-it spirit, tough-minded, a credible personality, has no skeletons in his cupboard and is innovative enough to lead the NPP to another memorable election success", Mr. Essel-Cobbah said.


He said Mr Dan Botwe, by his sterling performance as a Minister and a party activist, had shown that he was capable of leading the NPP to another victory and take the country to another level.


On the aspirant's much touted relatively young age at 49, Mr. Essel-Cobbah dismissed it and mentioned a host of past and present world and national leaders who were in the same age group or even younger than Mr. Botwe when they became presidents.

In Ghana Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah became head of government business in 1949 at the age of 42, Lt Gen A. A. Afrifa was 33 when he was made Chairman of the Presidential Commission,


General Kutu Acheampong, Chairman of the National Redemption Council at the age of 40.


General F.W.K Akuffo assumed the reins of power as Chairman of the Supreme Military Council aged 41 and Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings came to power in the 1979 putsch aged 32 and 34 as Chairman of the Provisional National Defence Council.


"On the foreign front, former Presidents John F Kennedy and Bill Clinton of the United States, President Nicholas Sarkozy of France, former British Premier Tony Blair, Presidents Faure Gnassingbe of Togo and Yahya Jammeh of the Gambia, were all young when they assumed office.


"So that alleged age deficit peddled against Dan's candidature has to be laid to rest once and for all", he said.


Mr. Essel-Cobbah said the country's next President "must be a person who is not vindictive, has a vision, is compassionate and has the requisite qualifications and Dan Botwe as a child of destiny fits in appropriately".