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| It’s A Matter Of Time – Dan Declares |
1/12/2007 |
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Friday, 12 January 2007
Former New Patriotic Party (NPP) General Secretary, Dan Kwaku Botwe, is on the verge of ending months of speculations about his entry into the party’s flagbearership race. Dan, who lost his ministerial portfolio in last year’s cabinet reshuffle, is under immense pressure from party supporters who are eager to see the former Information Minister contest the NPP race.
Dan, fondly called “General”, said his declaration is a matter of time. He said unlike others who declared their intentions before consulting, he is first testing the waters and then he would make a public declaration. Supporters of the former NPP “General” laid an ambush for him at the party’s just-ended Koforidua conference, asking him to declare now.
“Daniel Kwaku Botwe, you are one person within the NPP who has the ability to inspire the rank and file of the party for battle 2008.
“We believe Dan Botwe has the vision, passion and capability to continue the good works of President Kufuor,” Jojo Essel-Cobbah, spokesperson for Patriotic Force, the group dragging Dan into the race, said. “Dan, you are not one to sit by while the great elephant is in search of a new leader to continue the excellent work of President Kufuor.
Rise up and play your natural role as leader of this great party; as the presidential candidate of the NPP in the 2008 elections. It is all about leadership and you have it,” the spokesperson said.
However Dan, who is rumoured to be nursing presidential ambitions, said he would soon declare his position. According to him, he is holding consultations with the rank and file of the party. So far, the former General Secretary has toured Brong Ahafo and visits to other regions would follow suit.
“I will have to interact with all the contestants and consult people even outside my party- chiefs, opinion leaders and many other people. I will want to finish the process of consultation and after that when I’m fully convinced, I will see to it,” he stated. He explained that the consultation so far is positive, adding, “I have started talking to people. Wanting to become a president is a serious thing.
It is not just a question of wanting to be the flagbearer, but the ability to inspire people,” he said. Mr. Botwe dismissed the call for an early congress, saying six months is enough for the party to campaign for the 2008 elections, if the messages are well-packaged.
Mr. Botwe has been a strong pivot since the formation of the party in 1992.
He quit his lucrative job at COCOBOD to take up a party job. He was Director of Operations and Research at the NPP headquarters before winning the General Secretary position in August 1998 at the congress held at the University of Ghana, Legon.
After a successful two-term tenure in office, Dan joined Government at the inception of the second term of the Kufuor administration as Minister of Information. He lost out in a cabinet reshuffle and went back to the NPP headquarters to pick up the post of Chairman of Research and Strategy Committee. He has under his belt, two general elections and eight successive by-elections.
Prof Mike Oquaye, Minister of Communications was conspicuously absent from last weekend’s NPP National Delegates conference, but this did not stop his supporters from rooting non stop for him. The shout of “Prof Oquaye nie, NPP Candidate nie” rent the air as some youth sought to invoke the name of their idol.
The Dome/Kwabenya constituency MP, a former senior lecturer at the Political Science Department of the University of Ghana, Legon, is said to be eyeing the presidency. He has been a pillar in several constituencies, having mobilised resources to make them battle ready for election 2008.
Prof Oquaye, the immediate past High Commissioner to India, is said to have traveled outside the country on official assignment. He was noticeably missing at the conference where some of the presidential hopefuls displayed their showmanship, some even earning new nicknames like ‘Alan Kash’.
Tony Fordjour, Special Assistant to the Minister said even though the Prof was physically absent, he was with the delegates spiritually and would come out at the appropriate time on the next phase of his political career. A thoroughbred Danquah-Busiast, Prof Oquaye indicated his intention to contest the NPP national chairmanship position before he was appointed High Commissioner to India. He contested the newly created Dome-Kwabenya parliamentary seat from his base in India and won a landslide.
In an interview with some of the delegates, they said they were disappointed Prof Oquaye did not attend the Koforidua conference.
His absence, they said, would however not dissuade them from maintaining their support for him as the minister had been very helpful in revamping the party structures in some constituencies.
D. Guide
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