Mills on his knees for votes

PRESIDENT JOHN Evans Atta Mills was almost on his knees yesterday as he passionately begged Ashanti regional delegates of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to vote for him in the upcoming congress of the party scheduled for July 8-10 at Sunyani in the Brong Ahafo Region.

President Mills, who perhaps is feeling the heat as the congress day draws near, pleaded with the delegates of the ruling party from the 39 constituencies in the Ashanti region to forgive and forget if he had offended them in any way since he became president over two years ago.

President Mills, according to 'Daily Guide' sources at the event, sounded and looked sober as he implored the delegates to vote massively for him at congress to enable him lead the NDC as flagbearer for the impending elections.

He told the NDC delegates to vote massively for him at congress to enable him retain political power for the NDC in 2012 and continue steering the affairs of the country.

The Law Professor was addressing the delegates who were bussed from all the constituencies across the region at the official residence of the KMA Boss, Samuel Sarpong at Nhyiaeso.

President Mills was once alleged to have said that he was not the welfare officer of the party when he was asked why he had not visited the NDC’s national office almost two years in office.

He only visited the office when he went to pick his nomination forms.

The Ashanti Region appears to be slipping from President Mills' grips, hence the passionate appeal amidst calls for forgiveness.

It is therefore not surprising to political pundits for the president to willingly beg the delegates of the NDC to forgive his sins and give him another chance as the party’s flagbearer.

The hugely attended meeting was held some few minutes after the president and his high powered delegation had attended a meeting with MMDCE’s at the Golden Tulip Hotel in Kumasi .

All the Regional Executives of the NDC including the Regional Chairman Yaw Obimpeh were present at the event but conspicuously missing in action was Joseph Yammin, the NDC Scribe in the region.

An amount of GH ¢50 was said to have been given to each of the about 390 delegates picked from the region by the president’s campaign team after the meeting.

Mr. Obimpeh caused a stir at the event as he knelt on his both knees and almost cried as he also begged the delegates to forgive the president and vote massively for him at the Sunyani congress.

The Regional Chairman is the same person who recently slammed the NDC Founder, Jerry John Rawlings band his wife saying they were no more a force to reckon with in Ghana politics.

In a manner which looked like Mr. Obimpeh was trying to score high marks on the president’s sheet, he assured President Mills that 99 percent of votes from Ashanti region would be his at congress.

Before the commencement of the meeting white hander kerchiefs were distributed to those present at the function. The crowd later on waved the hand kerchiefs to signify victory when the president emerged at the event grounds.

news men called later on Mr. Obimpeh and asked why he knelt and beg the delegates to vote for President Mills, but the NDC Chairman who sounded angry retorted, “go write whatever you want.”

When news men called Joseph Yammin, the party Regional Secretary to verify why he was not present at the meeting, he said “I am a delegate and I guess they don’t need my vote that is why they did not invite me.”

The president entourage included Alex Segbefia, Madam Betty Mould Iddrisu, Mr. Baffoe Bonnie, Mr. Oteng Adjei, John Henry Martey Newman, PV Obeng, Kwamena Ahwoi, Gbevlo Lartey, Kobby Acheampong, Ofosu Ampofo among a host of other government functionaries.