Former Presidential aspirant of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, has commended his party�s presidential candidate, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, for embarking on the ongoing nationwide tour which aims at preparing the party for the 2016 general elections.
According to Mr Alan Kyerematen, who joined Nana Akufo-Addo and his team on the �Rise and Build� tour in Koforidua, the Eastern Regional capital, last Wednesday to address party faithful, noted that the consolidation of the party�s base is one of the key steps towards securing an NPP victory next year.
�When you are fighting an incumbent, it is not an easy task. History tells us that elections in Ghana are always tough. So before you can say you�re going to win, you must first consolidate your base. We must not lose a single vote from an NPP sympathiser or supporter,� he underscored.
He continued, �If we are to consolidate our base, then it hinges on the �Rise and Build� tour Nana Akufo-Addo has embarked on. If we leave it to chance, party members who hold grudges may not even turn up at all to cast their ballots. So, Nana, I commend you for embarking on this tour. We need every single vote.�
Underscoring the need for a decisive NPP victory in 2016, Alan Kyerematen, fondly known as Alan Cash, called on regional and constituency executives as well as all parliamentary candidates, to ensure that the party�s field operations are centred on polling station activities.
He further urged them not to wait for the �official launch of the campaign� before they begin campaigning, adding that �The structures are already in place and so campaign in your respective constituencies must begin now.�
To the parliamentary candidates, the former Minister of Trade and Industry under the Kufuor administration urged them to maximise and protect the presidential votes.
�We have to be mindful about the fact that the political system Ghana finds herself in is one of an �executive presidency.� If you don�t have a president, you are not in power. Whilst campaigning for yourselves, remember that it is when Nana Addo becomes president that you, as MPs, will get the solid grounding you need in parliament,� he explained.
He urged the executives and the parliamentary candidates to craft messages that would touch the hearts of their constituents.
�Apart from the NPP�s impressive record between 2001 and 2009 � which is there for all to attest to � we must also tell them, through our vision, that we can provide a better government than the NDC,� he said, stressing also that the campaign must not be radio talk alone.
He further admonished, �We are currently calling for a new voter register. However, all this will come to naught if on election day our polling agents do not prove capable of monitoring the process. We can have polling station executives who are good at party activities, but may not necessarily be good at policing the ballot box. In selecting our polling station agents, we must be very mindful of these.�
<<Print>>