News making the headlines in today's review includes a merger between the National Democratic Congress and the Democratic Freedom Party. The Ghanaian Times reports this under the headline NDC, DFP formalize merger and adds that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) formally merger as one party at a ceremony in Accra yesterday. The merger, which was the outcome of a joint committee of the two parties set up on the initiative of President John Atta Mills, thus makes the DFP, defunct. With the caption DFP back to its roots, the Daily Graphic adds that after seven years of recession and months of comeback talks, the Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) has finally re-united with its roots, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), in a deal that is expected to boost the fortunes of the NDC in the December general election. Unity talks between the two parties had been initiated in 2011 and, having finally clinched the NDC is expected to benefit from about 27,889 votes garnered by the DFP presidential candidate in the 2008 polls, Mr. Emmanuel Ansah-Antwi, all things being equal. The Daily Guide in addition states in under the headline NDC Swallows Obed's DFP that a team of NDC bigwigs, led by Vice President John Mahama, ushered in the former chairman of the NDC, Obed Asamoah and other members of the DFP who broke away in 2007 after falling out with the founder of the party, former President Jerry John Rawlings.
Away from that, we move onto updates on Nana Konadu's claim of the NDC logo and both the Daily Graphic and the Chronicle report under the quote NDC logo not property of Konadu-cadre group that some members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Brong Ahafo Region have stated that it was the late Alhaji Kwadwo Maama Adam, the former Regional Organizing Assistant of the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution, who suggested the use of the umbrella as the logo of the NDC. They said they were, therefore surprised at attempts by the former First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings to distort the facts about the origin of the logo and registering the said logo as her intellectual work.
Latest updates on the recent biometric exercise from the Ghanaian Observer and the Heritage indicate that the Parliamentary candidate for Dome/ Kwabenya Lawyer Sarah Adwoa Safo has called on the Electoral commission to carefully gauge critical areas where the technical challenges of the biometric registration exercise affected most and spread the mop up to ensure that every Ghanaian who has attained the voting age and therefore qualified to vote are not unnecessarily disenfranchised. She said even though the entire exercise has been substantially successful, a lot of people have also not registered as a result of some technical challenges that nearly plagued down the entire exercise.
The Daily Graphic states that CPP, PNC must sacrifice positions and merge - says Bauh Inusah. Mr. Bauh Inusah, Brong Ahafo Regional Secretary of the People's National Convention (PNC), has called on the leadership of the Convention People's Party (CPP) and the PNC to sacrifice their positions and merge. Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA)in Sunyani he noted that the unwillingness of some high ranking members of the two parties to relinquish their positions and the employment of divide and rule tactics were contributory factors to the stalling of the merger talks.
From the same paper readers are informed that Shama NPP aspirant seeks votes.The New Patriotic Party Parliamentary Candidate for the Shama constituency, Mr. J.C Garbrah, has asked for the support of his constituents to win the constituency seat come the December elections. Interacting with some of his constituents at Shama in the Western Region, he said 'I need your votes to win the parliamentary seat in order to implement the good ideas I have for the people.
We are informed by the Chronicle that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has refuted allegations by the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) that the government of President Mills is corrupt and incompetent. Abu K. Kassangabata, District Chief Executive for Nadowli in the Upper West Region and a member of the government communication team, has debunked the allegation, saying the NPP was aware of the achievement of the NDC government over the last three years, and that knowing it would be difficult for them (NPP) to win power in the December elections, have resorted to lies to deceive the electorate.
Ahead of December elections, Daily Graphic informs readers that Campaign on Election 2012 to be launched. Operation 'Get Involved Platforms', a political civic education advocacy campaign to whip up enthusiasm in Election 2012 will be launched in Ghana on May 29TH. The project being sponsored by STAR-Ghana, a multi-donor pooled funding mechanism (Funded by DFID, DANIDA, EU and USAID)to increase the influence of civil society, is being implemented by Socioserve-Ghana(SSG), a non-governmental organization (NGO) based in the Asuogyaman District.
The New Crusading Guide similarly reports that Freedom Power Lectures…on Election 2012, adding that as part of its contribution to enhance quality political discourse in the country, the Centre for Freedom and Accuracy (CFA) would launch a new initiative in June dubbed-FREEDOM POWER LECTURES 2012.The CFA seeks to use the lectures to reduce the insults and personality attacks that always characterized electioneering campaigns to make the 2012 General Elections more of an issues based.
In a related development, Christian Council inaugurates group for elections 2012.The Christian Council of Ghana in the last two decades has been a part of the democratic growth and development of Ghana.It has contributed in diverse ways to the peace, credibility of the ballot box and the electoral process through monitoring and observation engagement with decision makers; all in a collaborative effort with other stakeholders especially faith- based organizations.
Sekou: Give Nana Addo a chance to prove himself quotes the New Statesman that a former boss of the National Youth Authority, Sekou Nkrumah, yesterday asked Ghanaians to give the presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party, Nana Akufo-Addo,a chance to ascend the nation's presidency to ascertain whether or not he can deliver the goods. The son of Ghana's first president who campaigned for President Mills in 2008 attributed the problems confronting the failure of the Mills-Mahama led NDC government, calling on the electorate to show the NDC the exit in the December polls.
We end today's review with news from both the Daily Dispatch and the Ghanaian Times that indicate that the Minister of Chieftaincy and Culture, Alexander Asum-Ahensah, has cautioned teachers and students to refrain from turning the classrooms into political arena, as the nation prepares for December poll. They should rather prepare themselves for the roles that might be assigned them by the Electoral Commission on the day of the election, to ensure a peaceful, fair and transparent poll. He quotes under the Daily Dispatch and the Ghanaian Times headline don't turn classrooms into political arena'.
This daily news review is compiled by African Elections Project (AEP) Media Monitoring Centre, Accra, Ghana.
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