General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia has said that the party will ensure its branch level is organised and well equipped for the 2024 general election.
This, Mr Asiedu Nketia said, is to ensure the opposition party eradicates any form of opportunity that fosters rigging of elections.
Addressing party faithfuls in Eastern Region during former President John Mahama’s Thank you tour, he stated: “We are coming to organize the party from the branch because if someone can rig the election, it is at the branch. If someone prints whatever number of ballot papers and he or she doesn’t get access to the branch level to put in a box, it will expire in his or her room.”
According to the NDC General Secretary, ensuring this is done, will boost the party’s chances of capturing all the Parliamentary seats in the region.
“So we have realized that, this is a golden opportunity. You have to do your best so we can organize our branch. If you do this, I believe we will win the Eastern Region in 2024.”
On the issue of “break the 8” being peddled by the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Asiedu Nketia admonished people of the Eastern Region to desist from plans that would ensure the incumbent government remains in power.
“They said 4more. We have not exhausted even one more. There are two and three more before we get to four more. If you make a mistake that after 4more you will give them ‘break the 8’, before you get there, most of you would have been buried,” he said.
Mr Asiedu Nketia’s comments were made against the background that Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia earlier this month assured his committment to ensure the breaking of the 8-year electoral cycle despite who becomes the flagbearer of the party.
Dr Bawumia, who has declared his ambition to run for president, argued that resourcing and strengthening the party’s internal structures will cushion the NPP to realise its aim of retaining power in 2024.
Senior Advisor to the Vice President, Fred Oware, speaking on behalf of the Vice President, observed that over ¢700,000 has been allocated to support party organisation at all levels.
“I assure the party leadership right from the national to the polling station that he is very well pleased with the way and manner this party has been managed for the past four years.
“And that he(Vice President) will continue to do everything within his means to support the party structures and events being organised to ensure that this party is strengthened and made ready for the 2024 break the eight battle no matter who becomes the flagbearer of the party. For that reason, he has asked me to make a donation of ¢20,000 to the regions and ¢2,000 to constituencies.”
Also, NPP General Secretary, John Buadu has stated that the party will soon embark on regional and constituency tours to audit the capacities of its communicators as part of its strategy to break the 8-year election cycle.
But NDC National Chairman is optimistic the party would break the 8 years of unprecedented economic hardships Ghanaians are being subjected to under the NPP government.
According to the opposition party, calls for “Break the 8” by the NPP is to ensure they have another term to perpetuate corruption and impunity.