Massive win for Jake.

The media co-ordinator for Jake Obetsebi- Lamptey's campaign has said that Jake will win the impending NPP Chairmanship election massively considering the warm reception accorded him in all the constituencies he has visited.

According to Mahama Haruna after meeting with all the constituency executives of nine out of ten regions in the country, he has the total conviction that Jake has already won the Chairmanship because apart from the warm reception from the executives of the 191 constituencies toured, the executives have also pledged to give Jake a resounding victory based on his track record, tremendous experience and the capacity to lead the NPP to victory in 2010.

Haruna said the Constituency executives have made it clear they were elected by the polling station executive to win power for the party and so they will vote for people at national level that would offer the right leadership, devise the right strategies and innovations for the party to regain power in 2012. They have also told Jake his track record of being in the tradition for many years, being in the trenches, and serving in various capacities, has placed him in a strategic position to be entrusted with the mandate to become the next National Chairman of the party.

According to Haruna he was surprised an executive of a deprived constituency put it vividly that Jake is a team player and one who creates opportunities for people working under him to learn and grow. The executive according to him said Jake is the only Minister under ex-President Kufour's government who's four deputies were promoted to full Ministers. He praised Jake for being down-to-earth and politically astute enough to connect with the average folks.

According to Haruna the delegates said the NPP must have very tough, resolute, visionary and intelligent people to run the affairs of the party to prevent the NDC government from exploiting incumbency to rig the 2012 general elections. They are also aware this is the parties crucial moment and it is imperative that leaders who have been tried, tested and who have shown the necessary commitment and loyalty that the NPP requires in its quest to wrestle power from the NDC are elected.

Jake's media co-ordinator who also spoke on a wide range of issues said he will be happy if the perception that Nana Akufo-Addo has thrown his weight behind Jake becomes a reality because he realised from their tour that Akufo-Addo enjoys massive grassroot support. According to him before Jake declared his ambition to be Chairman, he visited all NPP potential Presidential aspirants including Nana Akufo-Addo, Alan Kyeremanten, Isaac Osei, Joe Ghartey and the late Courage Quashigah as well as major stakeholders like former President J.A. Kufour, B.J, da Rocha, Appiah Menka, Harona Esseku and many others to solicit their support and to offer reasons why he wants to be the Chairman of NPP.

Haruna said while many of these personalities have come out to endorse Jake publicly, others are supporting him undercover. "We will be happy if former President Kufour, Alan Kyeramanten, Isaac Osei and others also declare their support for Jake" he emphasized. He however quickly added that Jake can win the election based on his own competence and merit.

On the argument by some people that the NPP need a Ga Chairman to be able to win Greater Accra, the media co-ordinator of Jake said his boss has never told anybody to vote for him because he is from the Greater Region but rather campaigns on his track record. Haruna however believes Jake's ethnic background will be an advantage to the NPP. " Whether we like it or not, ethnicity has become an integral part of politicking in Ghana. During the last election , ethnicity featured prominently in the campaign of NDC. They exploited and fanned ethnic differences to win votes". he emphasized.

Haruna also explained that the NPP need to do a lot of strategic planning in terms of ethnic permutations for top positions in the party to prevent the situation in which NDC will continue to brand it pro-Akan notwithstanding the advantages to this perception. All things being equal the flag bearer position will remain with the Akans. The Gas, an important ethnic group in the politics of this country should be given the Chairmanship with Voltarians and Northerners taking other National executive positions to balance the situation.

On the issue of Jake's inability to speak a Ghanaian language, Haruna said this came up strongly when Jake contested for the National Chairmanship of NPP in 1995, an election he lost gallantly to the late Peter Ala-Adjetey. Again the issue was raised in 1997 when he contested the Greater Accra Regional Chairmanship of the NPP. He said the delegates as discerning as they were snubbed those who raised the issue and voted massively for Jake because to them it was a non-issue. According to Haruna the kingmakers wanted someone with a strategic mind to deliver votes but not someone who can speak a local language and true to their expectation Jake as Regional Chairman marshaled people from all the major languages spoken in cosmopolitan Accra for victory in 2000.

"Jake's inability to speak a Ghanaian language has helped him to be a more complete Ghanaian. He deals with everyone on an equal basis, and has become a better 'team builder' and 'team leader'. It is a weakness he has always overcome to get better results in whatever he does". he added.

He also explained that Ghana has more than 250 languages and dialects and every Ghanaian has to use an interpreter somewhere in the country. According to Haruna he does not expect the other contestants for the NPP Chairmanship position to speak languages like Frafra, Wala, Gonja, Ewe, Nzema or Krobo when they visit areas such languages are spoken. They will definitely use interpreters.

"Is it not ironical that someone who cannot speak a Ghanaian language inherit a situation of Greater Accra 9 Seats and 46% Presidential votes but left it with 16 Seats and a 52% Presidential vote, both majorities? he questioned.

Haruna appealed to all candidates contesting for various positions at the national level, to embark on a clean campaign devoid of insults. He also called on all the aspiring candidates vying for various national positions to circumvent personal vendetta or character assassinations in their campaign and rather concentrate on selling their messages to the delegates. "There should not be any cause for members to attack each other, mudslinging and disunity. Whoever wins at the end of the day will need the support of the loser", he concluded.