NORTHERN REGION DFP BACKS MERGER WITH NDC (PAGE 13, JULY 27, 2011)

THE Regional and Constituency Executives of the Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) in the Northern Region have backed calls for the party to realign with the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The founder of the party, Dr Yao Obed Asamoah hinted some few weeks ago that his party, which was an offspring of the NDC, is considering rejoining the NDC due to what he described as positive developments in the NDC.
In a statement issued in Tamale on Tuesday and signed by the Northern Regional Secretary of the DFP, Mr Mohammed Yussif, the northern regional and constituency executives resolved to support the national leadership to negotiate with the NDC for the possible comeback.
The executives said the decision was certainly in the interest of the party and thus pledged their “unqualified” support Dr Asamoah is his bid to commence the unity talks.
The statement however indicated that although there were pockets of people who were kicking against this measure, these people constituted the “very small minority” and therefore did not have the power to stand in the way of the interest of the entire party.
The Regional Organiser of the DFP, Mr Mohammed Iddrisu told the Daily Graphic in an interview that the decision to support the national leadership in their bid to rejoin the NDC was not taken out of the blue.
“When this issue came up, we consulted our members and leaders in the constituencies and the popular consensus was that we should rejoin the NDC,” he stated.
“We also consulted all the candidates who stood in the parliamentary elections on the tickets of the DFP and they were also in full support of this decision. So we are on track,” he added.
Mr Iddrisu noted that the party was aware that not all its members may be in support of the decision to join the NDC, but admitted that the decision of the majority was what mattered most.
“At this crucial moment, this could be the best for our party because we emerged from the NDC and should without doubt go back to it when it is moving in the right direction,” he said.
Mr Iddrisu also noted that members of the party take inspiration from Dr Asamoah because he is not only the founder, but also the financier of the party’s operations.
“Dr Asamoah would not take a decision which would not be in the interest of the party. So, if he thinks that the state of the NDC at the moment is good for democracy, then it is right for us the members to follow,” he stated.
Mr Iddrisu said the NDC was not very attractive because the party had become democratic in its operations and the government was performing to expectations.