Nii Lantey Vanderpuije Guns For NDC Youth Organizer

A Full Time Youth Leader Is A Must For The NDC, He Says.

The man who broke the back of the NPP in the Odododiodoo constituency in the 2004 general elections, Nii Lantey Vanderpuije, has declared his intention to vie for the post of the National Youth Organizer of the NDC.

?I am willing to serve the NDC with all I have. The youth, who represent the backbone of the NDC, have for a long time now called on me to place my dynamism at their service as the party marches towards wresting power from the NPP. They have asked that I contest for the post of the National Youth Organizer. I wish to now assure them that I am ready to offer myself unreservedly so that together we can rise to the challenges ahead.?

The former ace commentator and broadcaster said these in an exclusive interview he granted the Lens recently.

According to him, the current National Youth Organizer, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu has done his part during his tenure in office. ?However, given the daunting task facing a party in opposition like the NDC and considering the prevailing situation on the ground, it is my candid opinion that all persons holding key executive positions in the party must be persons who are not encumbered by other responsibilities. This is critical if we are to successfully wrest power from the NPP come 2008? Nii Lantey explained.

He pointed out that the NPP is prepared to use every means to entrench itself in power. It is therefore necessary for the NDC to match the NPP boot for boot hence the requirement of undivided focus and dedication to assigned responsibilities.

Describing Hon. Haruna Iddrisu as ?my younger brother?, Nii Lantey Vanderpuije promised that he will not engage in an acrimonious campaign since ?the party?s interest overrides any individual interest. I hope to meet him to dialogue for a possible compromise,? he intimated.

?I?m prepared to contest him, but it will be cost effective for the party if a compromise could be reached,? he explained.

The man whose solid organizational acumen and he popularity drove the NPP to resort to all kinds of communist inferior tactics to keep him from contesting the Odododiodoo seat in the general elections reiterated the call on those with dual or multiple positions, especially the MPs to refrain from contesting for National Executive positions so that, come 2008 electioneering, they would not to find themselves having to divide their attention between their duties as national executive members and their constituency contests.

Nii Lantey said: ?I wish to appeal to all MPs who are holding national executive positions to consider stepping down for other equally capable and ?freer? hands to come on board to devote their full attention to working for the party.?

Meanwhile, the aspiring National Youth Organizer has appealed to the Regional Executives of the party to resolutely endorse Prof. John Evans Atta-Mills as the flag bearer of the party for the 2008 general elections because Prof. Mills has kept faith with the party.

Explaining further, he said, all resources and energy that could be used for internal campaign could be reserved for the 2008 general elections.

Debunking the erroneous notion that Prof. Mills was not a winnable candidate, Nii explained that the loss of the party in the year 2000 was on account of a spontaneous call for a change because of the many false promises of the NPP. He added that the lack of vigilance from the party and its agents coupled with improper monitoring contributed to the defeat of the NDC in 2004.