Join Hand with NDC - Veep

John Evans Atta Mills has called on all progressive forces in the country, particularly Nkrumaists, and all Ghanaians who desire to see improvement in the lives of the ordinary Ghanaian, to join hands with the NDC in the forth-coming Presidential run-off.

He said the December 7 polls was a wake-up call for the "party of the people, the NDC and its allies" to mobilize and undertake the needed change and improvement in the lives of the people. The Vice-President made the call in a chat with the Daily Graphic at his residence yesterday.

The Vice-President, who was in a surprisingly cheerful mood with his wife Naadu and his son, Kofi Sam Atta Mills, after an otherwise stressful weekend, indicated that his party is capable of effecting a more meaningful change than the NPP can ever do.

Prof. Atta Mills accepted that the NPP started off strongly but indicated that he was not worried because in 1992 and 1996, the NPP did the same at the beginning and slid back and lost in the final analysis. He said at the very beginning, he was sure that victory was not beyond the NDC.

Prof. Mills noted, however, that the party's policy has always been to leave the declaration of the results to the Electoral Commission which alone has the constitutional mandate to do so. He said once the elections are free and fair, the NDC will accept the results, and described as unfortunate the situation where a particular candidate declared himself a winner without reference to the statistics at the EC.

"We must abide by rules, we should not mislead our supporters because Ghana is more important than anyone of us," he implored.

The Vice-President said every party has a representative at the EC's operations room and therefore has access to the details, and wondered why some wanted to paint a different picture to their supporters. He urged his colleagues to consider what is in the best interest of the country and listen to and accept the verdict of the arbiter appointed by the constitution.

Asked whether he was not worried about the possibility of winning the Presidency and a minority in Parliament, the Vice-President said he was not sure if he will have a minority in parliament.

That will not mean that parliamentarians would throw away every bill he sends there just for the sake of it. Once the bill is justifiable and in the interest of the country, the honorable members will look at it in that respect, he said.

On whether he was disappointed at the showing of the NDC, he said he was not because that the party fought election against several odds such as the Global difficulties. He said the fact the party performed that well is an indication of the confidence it enjoys from the people.

He called on all supporters of the NDC and Ghanaians generally to exercise restraint in the run-up to the second round that the peace of the country is not disturbed.

The Vice-President said at the end of the day Ghana must be the winner and condemned the acts of violence in Bawku and Ayawaso East, stressing that the country must not allow the election to roll back progress. He reiterated his commitment in forming a broad based government based on competence and the will to die a little for Ghana.