After leading the NDC to its heaviest electoral defeat in the fourth Republic, Former President Mahama has expressed optimism that the NDC will bounce back and regain power in the 2020 elections.
He urged all party members to support the restructuring plan being embarked upon by the national executives of the party to right the wrongs and build a solid foundation ahead of the next elections.
The NDC lost by almost 1 million votes in the presidential elections and close to 40 seats were lost to the governing NPP in the 2016 elections.
The defeat exposed cracks within the party and led to infighting, accusations and counter-accusations as members of the party blamed each other for the humiliating defeat.
But speaking at his Bole constituency branch meeting on Tuesday 30th January, Former President Mahama whipped up the enthusiasm of the members present by encouraging them to forget about the last election and forge on.
"NDC is a strong party. We didn't get the results we wanted in the last election but it doesn't matter they say there's no use crying over spilt milk. If you have milk and it spills unto the ground no matter how much you cry the milk will not come back into the cup. As I said the other time, the great man president Mandela once said it is not how many times you fall but how you are able to pick yourself up after each fall and so yes we fell but NDC is rising again" he said to the excitement of those in attendance.
He continued, "NDC is rising again and if all of us do the work that we are supposed to do, if all of us help in the reorganisation of the party, I can assure that by the Grace of God, InshaAllah NDC will come back in 2020"
Former President John Mahama also took time to walk all members present through the processes required and the benefits of partaking in the re-registration exercise.
He requested the members to be firm and united and ensure they guard the process so that the essence of the whole process will be achieved and not the parochial interest of some elements within the party.
"A party is strong because its branches are strong. You can’t have an active and formidable party and strong political party without active and vibrant branches and that is why this reorganisation of the party is starting at the branch level. We are doing the branch registration after that we are going to do the branch elections and every branch will be required to elect its 9 member executives and so when this branch re-registration closes we will announce the date for branch elections and when the date is announced for the district assembly branch election of the Bole Bamboi constituency, I will be here to vote" he explained
"We are asked to pay 1cedi, just 1cedi to show your commitment that you are a member and that you love the party so you can part with 1cedi and the 1cedi whoever you are, even for me the Former President I paid 1cedi to register. And so from the lowest member to the highest member, everybody is paying 1cedi. That is why we want to register active members of the party who love the party that they can take 1cedi and register as a member. This current registration drive started by 2 January and will end on 28th February. After 28th February all the returns will be sent to the national office" Mahama reiterated
Mr. Mahama indicated that he was impressed with the progress made so far in the rebuilding process and hinted that he will be joining other branch meetings in constituencies in the Northern Region to stress his message of participation in the reorganisation of the party.
"This was supposed to be small branch meeting but it has virtually turned into a rally, from here I'm continuing to Mankoma, there a branch meeting in Mankoma, I will join them and encourage them. Tomorow morning I will be in Damango, I'm going to join them and encourage them, The day after I will be in Tamale, in Sangnarigu constituency I'm joining one of the branch meetings, in Tamale North in joining one of the branch meetings, Tamale central I'm joining one of the branch meetings, in Tamale south I'm joining one of the branch meetings all to encourage them in the branch registration exercise that they are doing" he disclosed
