Reform Party Names Presidential Candidate

ACCRA, Ghana (PANA) - Ghana's National Reform Party, a breakaway group of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), on Saturday elected Augustus Obuadum Tandoh as its flagbearer for the December presidential elections.

Tandoh, a former close ally of President Jerry Rawlings, polled 325 votes or 70.7 percent against Mohammed Sanni's 48 representing 10.4 percent of the total 463 valid votes cast at the party's first national congress in Accra. Forty-eight ballots were rejected.

Peter Gameli Kpordugbe polled 367 votes representing 79.8 percent to become NDC national chairman while Kyeretwie Opoku got 348 or 75.7 percent of the ballot to win the position of general secretary.

Speaking after his nomination, Tandoh said the arrival of NRP on the political landscape of the country is to liberate through transformation.

He said the party had come to stay and it was the fastest growing political party in Ghana.

"NRP has a new vision for the country," he said, and called on the electorate to vote massively for the party.

Born 7 February 1956, Tandoh holds Bachelor of Law and Master of Law degrees from the University of Ghana and North Western University Law School, Chicago, USA, respectively.

His working experience includes being a board member of Worldspace Ghana, 1996, managing director and chairman of Board of Transport and Commodity General Limited in 1993 and executive director of finance and administration of Ghana National Petroleum Corporation from 1989 to 1992.

In 1982 he taught law at the University of Ghana. He also served as a member of the consultative assembly that drafted the 1992 Constitution of Ghana from 1991 to 1992.

Tandoh was also a member of Ghana's delegation to the UN Security Council, General Assembly and the Preparatory Commission on the Law of the Sea from 1986 to 1989.