Nana Konadu endorsed flagbearer for NDP
The founder of the National Democratic Party (NDP) , Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings, has been affirmed by the Electoral Commission as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2016 election, amidst calls for national unity and credible polls.
The Commission’s representative, Mr Michael Boadu, certified the declaration at the Party’s second National Delegates’ Conference, at the Trade Fair Centre on the theme: “United for Change, Probity and Accountability.”
Nana Konadu remained the sole candidate who expressed interest for the Party’s presidential aspirant slot at the close of nominations.
Mrs Rawlings called for change in national leadership and structural transformation of the economy to bridge the widening gap between the powerful and the weak, to prevent the perpetuation of injustices.
“Ghana is a great country but the people are being suffocated with weak and bad governance, let us join hands and lift our country so we can confront all the negativity,” she stated.
Best ideas for economic transformation, she noted, are harnessed at the local and community levels and not the ‘current situation of top-down approach’ to development where politics override the people’s welfare.
“Our greatest resource is the people of Ghana – the building blocks our nation stand on – because they are our future. We must choose the people above partisan politics. Visible progress is expected to improve lives and our nation,” she said.
She said the party’s priority was to place improvement of people’s wellbeing far above politics to drive the national economy to prosperity.
She declared: “Choosing people over politics means restoring our common sense, peaceful progress, and improvement in our lives.
“Ghana is a great and progressively wealthy country and yet the people are not seeing it as it should have been. I would urge you to please return Ghana to the principles upon which our independence stood for.”
Former President Jerry John Rawlings, who appeared at the conference briefly, urged the EC to adopt an open process to conduct free, fair and credible polls to guarantee the stability and peaceful atmosphere the country was experiencing.
“We can only enjoy a stable and peaceful country if we ensure the election process is free and fair,” he said, and condemned tribal politics in the electioneering as it could plunge the country into instability.
“I have the responsibility to bring the best in each and every one of us for the sake of security and stability of this country, it is important not to adopt a process that is fraudulent,” the Former President said, amidst thunderous cheers and applauds.
“It is important for us to remember that if we adopt a process that is fraudulent and unfair, whatever victory you think you will win, will only lead to an unstable situation.”
“We can only have a stable victory, a stable country and secure if we ensure that the election is free and fair.”
Eleven other national officers’ secured their positions unchallenged after nobody showed interest in the race at the close of nominations. The officers were, therefore, acclaimed and certified to stir the party’s affairs towards victory in the November 7 polls.
The officers pronounced unopposed are Dr Asare Bediako, National Chairman; Mr Anthony Kusi, Vice Chairman; Mr Mohammed Frimpong, Secretary General; Mrs Betty Akuffo Amoabeng, Deputy Secretary General; Women’s Leader, Mrs Peace Aryee; and Deputy Women’s leader, Hajia Salah.
The rest are Communications Director, Maame Yaa Edusei; Deputy, Ernest Owusu Bempah; Youth Leader, Dr David Sunu; Deputy Youth Leader, Mr Charles Opoku and Treasurer, Mrs Margaret Appiah.
The flagbearer and the national executives took the party’s oath of allegiance pledging to preserve, protect and defend its constitution and the national constitution.
Source: GNA