Mr. Alan John Kojo Kyerematen, one of the contesting flag bearers of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), at the weekend advised party delegates to choose a flag bearer who would return the party to power in the 2012 election.
Addressing polling station executives at separate functions in the Builsa South and North Constituencies in the Builsa District of the Upper East Region and Yagba in the Northern Region, the flag bearer said the party needed a Presidential Candidate who could match boot to boot with the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and wrestle power from them in 2012.
He stated that the wrong choice of a Presidential candidate for the party in 2007, was the cause of the poor performance of the party in the 2008 election, and told the delegates not to repeat the mistake.
He explained that as the incumbent government in power in 2008 and with numerous good policies, including the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), School Feeding Programme, Capitation Grants and Metro-Bus System, among others, which brought remarkable improvement in the lives of Ghanaians, it was expected that the NPP would have retained power, and not to loose to the NDC.
He noted that the 49 per cent votes gained by the party in 2008 election should have been 69 per cent and stated that in 2004, under the flag
bearership of former President John Agyekum Kufuor, the party was able to secure 53 per cent of the votes cast by Ghanaians, and it was expected that in 2008 it should have increased to at least 69 per cent and not drop to 49 per cent in the 2008 elections.
Mr. Kyerematen stated that the worst thing was that the party won votes from only two out of the ten regions and that was very bad.
He stated that it was therefore very vital that the delegates did some critical analysis and voted him to lead the party to victory in 2012.
Mr Kyeremanten said he would ensure that the party wins votes from at least 8 regions or more if given the chance.
He told the delegates that one other factor for the lost was that resources and logistics meant for the polling station executive for campaign purposes, did not reach them to enable them carry out their duties.
He said when given the nod, he would ensure that funds and logistics went directly to the polling stations' executives, adding that, he would not form any campaign team when given the nod, but would make the polling station executive his campaign team.
He assured the polling station executive that he would set up a welfare fund for party executive, to enable them cater for themselves and their families.
He said the party needed a flag bearer who could get floating votes for the party, in addition to votes from the other parties, and indicated that majority of the population in the country would reach the voting age by 2012, and would be looking for somebody like himself who was very youthful, energetic, dynamic, charismatic, affable as compared to the other four flag bearers to vote for.
He said he was also a unifier and had the welfare of the party at heart, and indicated that in 2007 for the sake of unity in the party, he
stepped down for Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo who became the flag bearer of the party.
The Paramount Chief of Bolgatanga Traditional Area, Naba Martin Abilba III commended Mr. Kyerematen for the matured manner he conducted himself by stepping down for Nana Akufo-Addo and whished him success in his ambition.
Mr. Kyerematen is on a four-day visit to the Upper East Region, and is expected to tour all the thirteen constituencies in the Region, to announce his intentions and to solicit for votes as a flag bearer of the NPP for 2012.