Decorous discussion on selection of NDC Presidential Candidate advocated

Accra, June 9, GNA - The ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Wednesday called for decorum and circumspection in discussions concerning selection of its Presidential Candidate for Election 2012. "NDC has conventions, traditions and principles for selection of a Presidential Candidate, while in and out of government, generally the electoral topography has also established a kind of structure for determining a second term candidature.

"In 1996, the electoral topography dictated that Ex-President Jerry John Rawlings was declared unopposed by the NDC to contest for Election 1996, the New Patriotic Party (NPP), which assumed the mantle of leadership in 2001 also followed the tradition in 2004, where Ex-President John Agyekum Kufuor was declared unopposed for Election 2004," Mr. Kobina Ade-Coker, Greater Accra NDC Regional Chairman, told GNA in an interview in Accra.

He appealed to NDC supporters to exercise restraint as the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party was yet to take a decision on modalities for contesting Election 2012, which would also focus on selection of a Presidential Candidate.

Mr Ade-Coker debunked speculations that the Region had declared its stand for a candidate, stressing "President John Evans Atta Mills is our Leader and President; we respect that position and for now Greater Accra Region would continue to offer our unflagging support and loyalty to him and the government". "We also respect the Founding Father role of Ex-President Rawlings and would continue to accord him that respect," he added.

The NDC Greater Accra Regional Chairman called for total support for the Presidency to ensure that the government delivered on its "Better Ghana Agenda," to transform the nation.

Mr Ade-Coker appealed to NDC Members of Parliament, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives as well as political functionaries to acknowledge that "they owe allegiance to the party and must work collectively for its unity". On his agenda for the Region, he said the party had tagged Election 2012 as "operation maximise votes . we are going to remain focused for the attainment of this operation". He said the party won Election 2008 because it was focused and determined adding that the NDC would always emphasise on good management and training to increase its electoral power.

Mr. Ade-Coker said the NDC Regional Executive Committee would manage its operations as a business concern and a political party and "our objective is to retain political power and use it for the benefit of the people". He expressed optimism that the party would retain power in the 2012 polls, but cautioned that popularity of the party was waning due to unnecessary attack on the Presidency by leading NDC functionaries. Mr Ade-Coker said government would pursue an alternative national self-reliance policy, harnessing all the indigenous technological competences to create jobs and stem the over-dependency syndrome.