They promised to vote en-bloc for the Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament who is also the longstanding Member of Parliament for Nadowli/Kaleo constituency because of his exploits as an astute politician.

This was in a statement issued by the Bagbin campaign team and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra on Saturday.

“We are already organised and poised to reward the longstanding stewardship of ASK Bagbin, come the 26th of January or whatever the date for the Flagbearership election. He should rest assured that he already has Upper West in his corner,” Mr David Yeng, NDC Chairman for Jirapa Constituency said.

Mr Yeng who was speaking when Mr Bagbin met them at Jirapa as part of his campaign trail in the Region said he was the best in terms of Parliamentary practice.

According to Mr Yeng, the NDC would vote en-bloc for him because he had been a source of pride and had helped the region in diverse ways.

“As the MP for Nadowli-Kaleo,Mr Bagbin has made a reputation for himself as an incorruptible man, a thing that naturally rubs on people who come from the region. Thanks to him the Upper West has really been put on the Ghana map. Apart from former President Hilla Liman, no other politician has brought so much pride to us in the region”, Mr. Yeng said.

The pledge to reward Bagbin with votes comes a few weeks after chiefs had recommended to government to create a special award for the longest serving Parliamentarian and the best in terms of parliamentary practice, who has also groomed two Heads of State.

Among others, the Tema Mantse, Nii Adjei Kraku ll, asked that President Akufo-Addo award him for his outstanding contribution to Ghana’s democracy.

“We the delegates of the Upper West Region are single-minded, we are going for Bagbin,” said Mr.Seidu Iddris, Secretary in Lawra Constituency.

According to him, delegates from the region had met a number of times just to reaffirm their commitment to the cause of giving Bagbin at least 90 per cent of their votes.

Mr. Ament Nyolee, the Lawra Constituency Organiser, said “I have known the brilliant second Deputy speaker for over 10 years and the kind of wonderful things he has done for the region and mother Ghana, we have no choice than to reward him with massive votes.”

Speaker after speaker at the meeting showered Mr. Bagbin with praises for his good works.

Meanwhile, Mr Bagbin’s stopover at Nadowli / Kaleo constituency was very eventful as he was mobbed by delegates and ordinary townsfolk.

During the meeting with the delegates, he promised to steer the party away from the style of other leaders.

His reiteration of the pledge to ensure that the party rewarded its members if he was made flagbearer and President received a standing ovation from the delegates.

The Nadowli / Kaleo Constituency chairman, Mr. Abbey Edward, said “Bagbin has performed excellently well in the areas of education, health, jobs, roads and other infrastructural developments, his performance as minority and majority leader too is far above par, he is very generous, known worldwide with many local and international awards to his credit.

He is God-fearing and his powerful message to the region including; Sisala East, Sisala West and the Sister Constituencies in Wa has shook Upper West. We have decided to reward him by voting en-bloc. He is God’s gift to the region and the nation as a whole.”

Mr Bagbin, who was beaming with smile, confident of victory and responding to cheers,  was accompanied to the region by Mr. Fritz Baffuor, a former MP and Minister of Information, Mr. William Awuku, a leading member of the NDC in South Tongu and Mr. Stephen Ashitey Adjei, alias Moshake, Executive Member of Tema East NDC.