DFP URGES BOTCHWAY TO DECLARE STAND ... (Page 16)

Story: Kwame Asare Boadu, Kumasi

THE acting Ashanti Regional Chairman of the Democratic Freedom Party (DFP), Mr Emmanuel Nti-Fordjour, has advised former Finance Minister, Dr Kwesi Botchway, to be bold enough to contest the presidential slot of the party in the March congress.
He said Dr Botchway had a very good chance of becoming President of the land if he contested and won the DFP congress
Mr Nti-Fordjour told the Daily Graphic that the former minister in the Rawlings regime was a member of the party, and so he had every right to contest for the slot.
He stated that the party was not afraid of any of the presidential candidates who had so far come up for the 2008 general election.
He said the candidate who would emerge from their congress in March would give Nana Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party (NPP); Prof. Atta Mills of the National Democratic Congress (NDC); Dr Nduom of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), and Dr Edward Mahama of the People’s National Convention (PNC) a shock of their lives in the December elections.
The acting regional chairman called for a campaign of issues rather than of personalities in the run-up to the December elections.
It was in light of this that he condemned a statement allegedly made by NDC General Secretary, Mr Johnson Asiedu-Nketia, to the effect that the 17 aspirants who vied for the NPP presidential flagbearership were all thieves.
“I think Asiedu-Nketia must apologise to save his name and that of his party as it was a disastrous political statement,” he said.
The acting chairman said Ghanaians had tried the NDC and the NPP, and from all indications, the people were now prepared to reject the two parties for a brand new one.
“And that new party,” he said, “should be the DFP, which has an untainted record”.
Mr Nti-Fordjour, however, denied allegations in certain circles that the DFP’s attention was only on the NDC, instead of the NPP which was the party in power.
He explained that it had never been their intention to attack the NDC, stressing that “after all, we are all from that party”.
He, however, pointed out that “we have every right to repulse any attack that comes from their camp”.
Mr Nti-Fordjour said his outfit was seriously organising itself in the 39 constituencies to increase the support base.
According to him, the “large number of people” who were joining the party were not from the NDC only, but also the NPP and other parties.
Mr Nti-Fordjour said the party was not concerned about the hullabaloo that Nana Akufo-Addo was going round in a long convoy of vehicles.
He emphasised that “we will campaign on foot, but will definitely give the NPP the real shocker,” he said.