The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Wednesday rounded up its
political campaign for Friday's election, with a declaration by
President John Dramani Mahama that God would grant the NDC victory
in the election.
He said the victory would be dedicated to the memory of the late
President John Evans Atta Mills, who had initiated the Better Ghana
agenda and laid the foundation for
socio-economic development of the
country.
The rally held at the forecourt of
the Trade Fair Centre in Accra, was attended by thousands of NDC
supporters dressed in the party's colours.
The arrival of President John Dramani Mahama and his wife, Lordina,
to the rally ground electrified the atmosphere, with members
blowing the vuvuzela
and raising their handkerchiefs, NDC flags and umbrellas amidst the
shout of 'ede bee keke, one touch'.
President Mahama, who is the presidential candidate of the NDC,
walked to the stage in the company of his wife, both of whom were
in red tops and black trousers, to greet the ecstatic crowd.
Thereafter, he raised his index finger up to signal one-touch
victory for the NDC in the election.
Traders also cashed in to sell the NDC paraphernalia, including
T-shirts, caps, hand bands, head
gear.
In his address, President Mahama thanked all the foot soldiers and
the party executives for the focus and singleness of purpose with
which they had conducted "the short but aggressive campaign."
He asked them to maintain the focus and the singleness of purpose
as they went into the election by being vigilant on election
day.
"Elections are won or lost on the voting day. You have to police
the polls, be vigilant and ensure that everything is done according
to the law," President Mahama said.
He was optimistic that "if everything is done according to the law,
the NDC will win the election."
The President said the government had discharged its duties fully
in terms of the provision of resources and financing for the
Electoral Commission (EC) to conduct the election.
Besides, he said, the government had supplied the security services
with vehicles and communication gadgets to support them to provide
security and prevent disturbances during the election.
He, therefore, expressed the hope that the EC would conduct the
election in a free, fair and transparent manner.
He again asked the security agencies to provide a peaceful
atmosphere for the electorate to cast their ballot.
President Mahama promised to be a unifier, peaceful, humble and
listening President since he received such training from President
Mills who was his mentor, teacher and father.
He said he would be the needle to sew Ghanaians together,
irrespective of political, ethnic or religious affiliations.
On the proposed free education policy of the New Patriotic Party
(NPP), President said he wanted to
restrict himself to the provision of the 1992 Constitution which
calls for efforts to progressively make senior high and tertiary
education progressively free.
He said the NDC wanted to ensure quality in the educational sector
and make efforts to make education more affordable to
parents.
In a brief statement, Vice-President Paa Kwesi Bekoe Amissah
Arthur, who arrived from Assin Fosu to the rally ground, said the
people of the Central Region had asked him to inform President
Mahama that they would give him their votes.
The National Chairman of the NDC, Dr Kwabena Adjei, declared that
"God will speak to the people of Ghana on December 7" by giving
victory to the NDC.
He asked members of the NDC to ensure that their ballot papers were
stamped before voting, because the NPP functionaries had decided
not to stamp the ballot papers in strong
holds of the NDC.
The General Secretary of the NDC, Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, urged
NDC members not to engage in any electoral violence or respond to
any provocation.
Rather, he asked members to report any incident to the security
personnel since they were mandated to ensure security.
Dr Cadman Mills, brother of the late President Mills, urged
Ghanaians to vote for President Mahama, because he and the other
family members of the late President Mills had trust in him.
He said the late President Mills had told him that "this is my
Vice-President in whom I am pleased."
Dr Cadman Mills described President Mahama as a listener, an
enhancer, a
synthesiser and an integrator who could continue with the Better
Ghana agenda.
