We will not entertain independent candidates – Mahama

President John Dramani Mahama has denounced the defeated National Democratic Congress candidates, who have filed to contest as independent candidates in the 2016 Parliamentary Election.

He said: “The NDC will not entertain NDC members who contest as independent candidates but it will rather appeal to you to rally behind the NDC candidates to win in their constituencies.”

President Mahama, who was addressing NDC supporters as part of his four-day campaign tour of the Volta Region, said it was unacceptable for the same family to be divided on account of political power.

Disgruntled and defeated candidates in the ruling NDC and the New Patriotic Party have in the past and even this year, demonstrated their rebellion in their parties by breaking away to contest as independent candidates.

In most cases, such rebellions end up sharing the Party’s goodwill with the elected candidates and paving way for other political parties to make inroads in the election.

The call by the President, therefore, is to avoid the situation where their actions could thwart the efforts of duly elected candidates in their bid to win the seats.

President Mahama said although it was practised in the country, it would continue to be an inimical and alien to the NDC as it could serve as a reducing agent for the fortunes of the party and candidates.

He said although the NDC would be retained in power, there was no need engaging in activities that could hamper and dwindle the fortunes and goodwill Ghanaians had given them over the years.

On development projects, President Mahama said the building blocks had been laid in his first term of office and the second term would put the icing on the cake by accomplishing the development dreams of Ghana to make her taller than her peers on the continent.

He mentioned agriculture and job creation as the major components of his next four years of administration and urged the electorate to exhibit a high level of discipline before, during and after the polls.

The President also addressed similar rallies at Golokwati and at Songor in the North Dayi Constituency, where he inaugurated a newly constructed Administration block of the Songor Senior High Technical School.

He later addressed students of the University of Health and Allied Sciences in the Ho Municipality.

Source: GNA