[ 2012-08-03 ]

Victor Smith was not guided by the party’s motto – NDC Vice Chair



A Vice Chairman of the ruling National Democratic
Congress (NDC), Danny Annan has noted that
comments made by Eastern Regional Minister, Victor
Smith about the President’s nominee for Vice
President were not guided by the party’s motto.

The Eastern Regional Minister had stated that, the
National Democratic Congress will be gambling in
this year’s elections if the party presents the
Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Paa Kwesi
Amissah-Arthur as running mate to President John
Mahama.

He added that the 2012 elections are crucial to
the party hence the party cannot afford to gamble
with its fortunes in the December polls by
presenting a running mate who does not have the
urge in mobilizing the grassroots.

The Minister however retracted the comments and
rendered an unqualified apology to the President,
John Dramani Mahama.

The NDC Vice Chairman, speaking on Election
Headquarters on Joy FM Friday, said he was happy
that the Minister has found it expedient to render
an apology for the comments.

Danny Annan, however, urged that people should be
guided by the party’s motto, which is Unity,
Stability and Development, stating, “I want to
believe that if we were guided by this principle
we wouldn’t have been rushing to the media and
make such comments.”

He believed that although there will be divergent
views on Amissah-Arthur’s appointment because
there are a lot of people who might not know him
as a core member of the party; he urged leaders of
the party to ensure that the rank and file know
him.

“There is no single member of our party who will
want the party to go to opposition because of a
single personality,” he noted, assuring they will
work tirelessly for Amissah-Authur if he is the
one President Mahama wants to work with.

Pollster, Ben Ephson touching on the matter
observed that Victor Smith’s comments were the
“right comments but the wrong channel,” because
there are always divergent views on every issue.

He said the manner in which it was done, was not
the right way adding unknown to many, the Bank of
Ghana Governor has been very active in the NDC for
about 28 years now – during the PNDC era.

Citing examples, Ben Ephson said, “In 2008, Dr
Bawumia did not have a party card of the NPP and I
don’t think that the NPP lost in 2008 because Dr
Bawumia didn’t have a party card,” adding, it
depends on how the NDC handles the situation.

He urged that, “everybody needs to come on board,”
to rally behind its candidates warning if they
don’t let bygones-be-bygones, they will help the
party go into opposition.

He concluded that next week’s vetting of
Amissah-Arthur is an opportunity to lay the cards
bare on who he is.

Source - Joy News

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