Story: Nana Konadu Agyeman, Takorase
THE National Democratic Congress(NDC) last Saturday re-elected Baba Jamal as its parliamentary candidate for the Akwatia Constituency in the Eastern Region.
The endorsement of the 38-year-old winner, who is also the Deputy General Secretary of the party, was automatic since the sole competitor, Mr Kwadwo Obeng Darko, failed to turn up at the congress held at Takrowase on Saturday.
Baba Jamal, who won the party's primaries in both 2000 and 2004 but lost to the New Patriotic Party's candidate, polled 176 votes out of the 181 valid votes cast, while his absentee competitor had only five.
The main hall of the Takrowase National Youth Centre where the congress took place was filled to capacity with many of the contestants' supporters standing outside amidst brass band music and dancing, while others mostly Baba Jamal's supporters wore T-shirts embossed with his picture.
In his acceptance speech, Baba Jamal, who was accompanied by his wife, Rahr, expressed his profound gratitude to the party rank and file, the executive, particularly its founder, Flt Lt J. J. Rawlings, for their support and encouragement, saying "by my strength alone I will not have made it to this end".
He described his victory not as a personal achievement but that of the entire NDC and therefore called for unity and co-operation in the party to ensure victory in the 2008 presidential and parliamentary elections.
"To this end, I Baba Jamal, pledge to work with Mr Kwadwo Obeng Darko, who is a brother and a friend, to ensure that our party achieves its aspirations of not only winning the Akwatia Constituency but also forming the next government come 2009", he stated.
In an address prior to the voting, the Deputy National Organiser of the party, Mr Yaw Gyan, called on members of the party to put aside their individual differences and throw their weight solidly behind whoever emerged the winner to enable the party to win back power from the NPP in the 2008 general election.
"Much as I acknowledge the 2008 elections will be a daunting challenge for our party, bearing of grudge and bitterness within the rank and file of the party will not augur well for us to emerge, victorius so we should move ahead as one family with a common destiny", he said.
He indicated that as part of efforts to avoid any electoral fraud in the general elections, the party would soon train its executive and polling station agents throughout the country on the issue and also set up a task force which would monitor the elections to make it impossible for any of the political parties, especially the NPP, to rig the elections.
On his part, the Eastern Regional Secretary of the party, Mr Anthony Gyampo, said since the NPP government assumed administration of the country, the living standard of the masses had worsened, citing the failure of the government to address the basic needs of the people in areas such as education and health.
He, therefore, urged the rank and file of the party to work extra hard and demonstrate deeper commitment to the course of the party to enable it take back power from the NPP at the 2008 elections.
Mr Gyampo, who urged the members of the party to stay vigilant in order not to be lured with money by the NPP, adding "the NDC is ready to match the NPP boot for boot".
The National Treasurer of the party, Mrs Clark Quayson, asked the party faithful to turn up in their numbers during the voting day to ensure one-touch victory for the NDC.
Present at the event were the party executives including the National Deputy Vice- Chairman, Alhaji Sinare and other Members of Parliament on the ticket of the NDC.
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