RPD ENDORSES JOHN MAHAMA …As flagbearer for 2012 polls
From Sebastian R. Freiku, Kumasi
HIS EXCELLENCY John Dramani Mahama’s presidential bid in the December polls received a major boost last Thursday when the Reformed Patriotic Democrats (RPD) also picked him for endorsement as its flagbearer, alongside the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The endorsement resulted from an extensive deliberation and consultation of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the party.
The declaration was announced at a special meeting of the national executives of the party with journalists, amid fanfare, at the Miklin Hotel in Kumasi.
The founder, leader and flagbearer of RPD in the 2008 elections, Mr. Kwabena Adjei, explained that the choice of Mr. John Mahama as RPD’s flagbearer for the presidential slot is the fact that Mr. Mahama shares many ideals with the RPD.
According to Mr. Adjei, who is also called Bambaata, Mr. Mahama symbolizes conformity of ideas of the RPD which believes in unity for development.
He also said that the NDC deserves another four year term in office to add to the massive Infrastructural development executed by the late John Atta Mills.
Mr. Adjei said Mr. Mahama, who shares the same vision with the late Prof. Mills, is best positioned to practically carry out the ruling government’s policies and programmes, and pointed to NDC’s ability to hold on to single digit inflation for close to one year, as one of the reasons which informed RPD’s decision to go for John Mahama, adding that Prof. Mills and John Mahama are not different.
In the face of these attributes, Bambaata said the RPD has no regrets supporting the NDC in the 2008 elections.
The acting General Secretary of RPD, Mr. Sarpong Manu indicated that the party remained an independent political Party and that it (RPD) would contest the parliamentary elections in some selected constituencies in the Ashanti and Eastern regions.
He said the RPD would concentrate on the parliamentary seats in the 2012 elections and that the focus is to ensure that the party is well represented in Parliament.
The General Secretary said the success of the NDC would enhance the image of the RPD as it prepares to launch into politics in stages until the appropriate when it goes into full time politics.
Mr. Manu emphasized RPD’s support for Mr. Mahama’s bid did not mean a merger of the RPD and NDC.
He appealed to the leadership of the NDC to consider giving the RPD a special concession by allowing it to contest some of its (NDC) seats in their stronghold to ensure that RPD’s objective of getting represented in Parliament is achieved.
In a solidarity message, Nana Kofi Agyenim Boateng, alias Gyataba, the General Secretary of United Front Party (UFP), congratulated the RPD for taking a bold political decision to declare its support for the NDC. He said the decision would enrich the practice of multi-party democracy.
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