The 2012 Flagbearer of the People’s National Convention (PNC), Hassan Ayariga, has revealed that he run the campaign for 2012 Presidential elections without support from the National Executives of the Party.
The Flagbearer who was addressing the Regional Executives and delegates of the party at Bolgatanga, stated that unlike the National Democratic Congress(NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP), which raised money to support their Flagbearers, the PNC never did so.
According to the Flagbearer, apart from using his own resources to run for the Presidential race, he spent his own money to pay for the filing for the parliamentary seats, including the payment for the polling agents of the party, as well as mounting about 1,500 bill boards.
Mr Ayariga noted that what was even more worrying was that none of the National Executives went round to with him on his campaigns, and accused particularly the National Chairman of the party, for not showing any concern and not contributing towards the campaigns.
“The party never injected a cedi during my eight months campaigns and I don’t even know the party’s accounts.
‘The love I have for the party makes me to spend more of my resources running its activities,’ the flagbearer stressed.
Mr Ayariga who blamed the party’s poor performance in the 2012 elections to the attitude of the National Executives, indicated that since that period, the party’s leadership had never held any National Executive meeting to chart a way forward.
On the outcome of the 2012 elections, the Flagbearer told the Party Executives and delegates that what he just needed was five per cent of votes to make the election a run-off, so that either the NDC or the NPP could negotiate with the PNC for support.
This, he noted, would have afforded the PNC to strike a deal with whichever party had the upper hand for more PNC members to secure political positions in governance and to make a headway after that.
Mr Ayariga indicated that apart from his visit to the Region being a thank you tour, it was to afford him the opportunity to subject himself to the Regional executives and delegates for them to interrogate his stewardship and to clear certain allegations and rumours leveled against him.
He underscored the need for unity in the Party, stressing that it was only through that the party could make a significant impact, and further impressed upon the delegates and party supporters to translate their love for the party into voting.
“Ghanaians are fed up with the NDC and NPP, and will vote for our party if we make greater efforts of wooing more people to join us, and also translate our love into votes for the party.”
The First National Vice Chairman of the Party, Mr David Nibi, who stated that the Region was the backbone of the party, lauded the Regional and Constituency Executives, including party supporters, for contributing immensely to making the party always win more votes during elections.
He urged them to continuously stand solidly behind the party, and reiterated the need for them to win new members into the party to enable it capture the 2016 elections.
Source: GNA