I'M BEST MATERIAL FOR GHANA — MAHAMA (Daily Graphic, Friday November 28, 2008. SPREAD)

THE presidential candidate of the People’s National Convention (PNC), Dr Edward Nasigre Mahama, has indicated that he is the best material among the eight presidential candidates contesting the December 7 election.
According him, after Dr Kwame Nkrumah had laid the foundation for the development of the country in the first 50 years of its independence, it was he (Dr Mahama) who possessed the acumen to continue from where Ghana's first President left off.
"After the December 7 election, Ghana will be on the threshold of another 50-year journey. The NPP and NDC are part of the old; the new regime is for the PNC, and just as Nkrumah laid the foundation for the first 50 years, the PNC will usher in a new nation full of hope and promise where all Ghanaians will be treated equally and without any marginalisation," he said.
Dr Mahama was addressing an Upper East Regional rally of the PNC at the Jubilee Park in Bolgatanga after a campaign tour of the region. The tour saw him visiting some constituencies, including the "overseas" areas.
The supporters of the PNC, mostly women clad in party colours, sang and danced to specially composed party songs, while some youth displayed their motor riding skills on the streets.
According to some observers, the crowd that patronised the PNC regional rally was modest, compared to that marshalled by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in their recent rallies in the area. However, they intimated it was bigger than that of the Convention People’s Party (CPP) held at the same venue.
Some of the party’s supporters expressed the hope that the party would spring a surprise in the election by winning the presidential slot, while others were pessimistic.
Some of the supporters told the Daily Graphic that they would vote for the sitting MP and rather vote for another presidential candidate in the race.
According to some political party observers, the sitting Member of Parliament for Bolgatanga Central, Mr David Apasera, faced a stiff challenge from the NDC candidate, Mr Akolbire Opam-Brown, and the NPP’s Mercy Alima Musah.
The other sitting PNC MP in the Upper East Region, Mr John Akparibo Ndebugre (Zebilla), is contesting the seat as an independent candidate following disagreement with the leadership of the party. Meanwhile, the PNC is not fielding any candidate in that constituency.
Dr Mahama, who is contesting the elections for the fourth time as the flag bearer of the PNC, polled 54,185 votes, representing 22.46 per cent of the 241,239 votes cast in the Upper East Region in the 2000 elections. However, the figure dropped to 42, 460 votes, representing 12.7 per cent of the 347,514 votes cast in the region in the 2004 elections.
These statistics notwithstanding, Dr Mahama told the charged crowd that now was his time, emphasising that both the NPP and the NDC had had their turn in directing the affairs of this nation, stressing, "It is my turn."
He, therefore, urged Ghanaians to give him their mandate for him to showcase what he had for the nation.
Touching on the "new regime" the PNC was offering Ghanaians, he said he would promote and encourage the study of science, mathematics and ICT to propel the socio-economic development of the country.
He also promised every Ghanaian three square meals a day and a roof over their heads, stressing that every school age child would get one full piece of chicken a day.
In addition, the PNC flag bearer said he would promote health care which would lead to the increase in the life expectancy of Ghanaians from the current average of 59 years to 75 years.
Dr Mahama said Ghana had a choice to vote back the NDC, maintain the NPP or vote for him and the PNC to usher in a new Ghana "where every Ghanaian will be proud to be called a Ghanaian".
The incumbent MP, Mr Apasera, told the crowd that current interventions such as the National Health Insurance Scheme and the GETFund were all the brain child of the PNC.
He highlighted his achievements as MP and urged the people to renew his mandate to represent them in Parliament.
Dr Mahama was accompanied by his wife, Mrs Comfort Mahama; Hajia Hajara Ali, the National Women's Organiser, and a personal assistant, Mr Philip Abban.
The Upper East Regional Chairman of the PNC, Alhaji Baba Mohamed, and other regional executives of the party also addressed the crowd.
Some aspiring MPs, including Ex-Sergeant Peter Tasiri, who is contesting the Binduri Constituency, and Mr Apasera for Bolgatanga, were officially introduced.