The New Patriotic Party will appear first on ballots for the December general elections, and may as well find a new campaign slogan in ‘Esoro hכ’ in its attempt to retain power. Remember Elections 2000 when the party was bottom of the ballots? Those were the days of ‘Aseε hכ’.

The People’s National Convention, PNC, picked second spot to back leader and presidential candidate, Edward Nasigre Mahama’s ‘Two-direct, two-sure’ slogan.

Main opposition party, the National Democratic Congress is third, and according to national chairman Dr. Kwabena Adjei who picked the ballot, the position has so much significance.

First, though not a numerologist, he understands the figure ‘three’ stands for good luck, plus it is the third time his presidential candidate, John Evans Atta Mills is making a go at the presidency and so he will hope that some divine force may have guided his hand to the figure.

The Democratic Freedom Party, the Democratic People’s Party, the Convention People’s Party and the Reformed Patriotic Democrats follow in that order, and then all independent candidates.

NPP Chairman Peter Mac Manu said the first position makes marketing the party’s bid and candidate much easier, and it also affirms the party’s slogan of ‘moving forward’ to the top.

The brief exercise which kicked off at the premises of the Electoral Commission around 1030 this morning, was not without controversy, as some of the parties rejected a transparent ballot box as receptacle for the ballots that allotted positions for the various parties.

The NDC in particular had Dr. Kwabena Adjei and Asiedu Nketiah, General Secretary, explaining that the move could undermine the confidentiality of the exercise, following which it was eventually replaced.


Story by Isaac Yeboah