It’s No. 4 For Mahama
Three-Time People’s
National Convention presidential candidate, Dr Edward Mahama,
was last Saturday given yet another mandate to contest the 2008 presidential
election on the ticket of the party.
At the party’s national delegates
congress held at the Catering Rest House in Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region, the medical practitioner polled 534 votes to beat his only challenger, Professor Yakubu Saaka, who had 400 votes. Thirty-six of the ballots were rejected.
Dr Mahama, in a post-victory speech, said the success of the congress signified a brighter future for the party.
“The party has been traumatised by self-inflicted wounds, but I can say that with this congress and elections, we have healed the wounds and can look forward to a more vibrant, more potent and politically mature party that will be ready to take over the reins of government of this nation,” the renowned gynaecologist said.
With his wife, Comfort, firmly standing by him on the stage and applauding him, Dr Mahama said despite the numerous court suits, the PNC had behaved like a true democratic party and that had gone a long way to deepen democracy, not only in the party but also the country as a whole.
Dr Mahama, who congratulated the staff of the Electoral Commission (EC) on conducting the polls efficiently, despite the short notice, and security personnel on maintaining the peace, also commended the media for providing the party with what he termed “unprecedented publicity before and during the congress”.
For his part, Professor Saaka conceded defeat and congratulated Dr Mahama on his victory “I came into this election believing very seriously that I will win. But in a competition somebody wins and somebody loses,” the former minister in the Limann administration stated.
He, however, pledged his commitment and readiness to work with the winning candidate and the party to ensure electoral victory in the 2008 general election.
The polls started at about 4:30 p.m. on Saturday and ended at about 1.00 a.m. on Sunday but that did not deter supporters who had braved the entire process and had become tired and weary into bursting into wild jubilation after the results had been released by the EC at 2:30 a.m.
Earlier, members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) had engaged in a marathon session to deliberate on the way forward for the party.
Everything was done in an atmosphere of mutual respect, love and unity, as winners and losers joyfully embraced one another for a contest which was described as having been well fought.
The election was supervised by a team of officials from the EC, led by its Upper East Regional Director, Mr Adam Iddrisu Mahama.
Story by Benjamin Glover & Samuel Abaane,