The Eastern Regional secretariat of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) is set to launch its project dubbed, ‘Agenda 50 -50’ on 20 June at the Suhum Constituency.
The main objective of the project, code-named, ‘Kyemu pe’ as gathered, is to ensure that the party shares the total valid votes to be cast in the region in 2016 equally with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) – the region being one of the strongholds of the latter party.
Currently, the NDC has seats in seven constituencies of the region – out of the 33 constituencies – while the rest are being annexed by the NPP.
The NDC is therefore, putting measures in place to make sure that the ‘Agenda 50-50’ dream becomes a reality in the opposition party’s stronghold.
A DAILY GUIDE source hinted that among measures to ensure the realization of the dream are training of party activists across the 33 constituencies on how to be vigilant on election day, remain focused on the implementation of measures to be adopted, sharpening of communication skills of activists and conducting research into why the party continues to lose in the region and come out with strategies to reverse the trend.
The Eastern Regional secretary of the NDC, Kevor-Mark Oliver, in an interview with DAILY GUIDE, posited that the NPP had dominated for far too long in the region and that the trend must be reversed.
Mr. Oliver said just like the Ashanti Region which has also declared ‘operation one million votes,’ “We think we are on course.”
He recounted that the NDC in 1996 won the presidential election in the Eastern Region with 459,092 votes, representing 55.23%, while the NPP had 362,405, which was 43.60%.
He added that in the 2004 elections, the NDC came out with 353,032 votes as against 554,627, which represented 38.38% and 60.30% respectively, “but that was not enough to break the dominance of the NPP,” he noted, adding that in the 2008 general elections, the NDC polled 353,522 (41.10%), while the NPP continued to lead with 491,520 (57.14%).
The Eastern Regional secretary of the NDC further recalled that in 2012 the NDC polled 483,998 (42.03%) and the NPP 655,462 (56.91%). Kevor-Mark said considering the above results, the NDC could achieve its objective.
NPP Jabs NDC
However, the Eastern Regional First Vice Chairman of the NPP, Alhaji Umar Bodinga, has rubbished the claim by the NDC saying it is only a mirage.
Eastern Marshal, as Bodinga is popularly known, posited that it’s impossible for the NDC to achieve this ambition in the stronghold of the NPP, viewed from the dwindling fortunes of the former.
He stated that the message for election 2016 is going to be simple: “Check your living condition and see what the NDC government has done for you before you vote.”
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