<<Print>>

The incumbent National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Dr Kwabena Adjei, has finally broken his silence to seek re-election with a call on party delegates to look for a candidate who will serve with truth and honesty. Launching his re-election bid at a well-attended function in Accra yesterday, he explained that �materialism is not what is needed to move the country forward�. �Materialism and vain power seeking is not what is needed to win elections in 2016,� he told the gathering. He observed that material gains alone could not win power for the party, but the adherence to truth, honesty and principles that had been the hallmark of his two-term tenure as chairman of the party. Best of best Dr Adjei aka �Wayoo, wayo�, described himself as the best of the best for the moment because he had the proven track record. He has led the NDC to electoral victory on two occasions in 2008 and 2012. In December 2005, he was elected as the national chairman of the NDC in opposition. He is a former Majority Leader in Parliament, Minister of Food and Agriculture, and PNDC Deputy Secretary for Industries, Science and Technology from 1988 to 1992, as well as Volta Regional Secretary from 1987-1988. He entered active politics in 1979 while a psychology lecturer at the University of Ghana, Legon. He said he was confident the delegates of the party would overwhelmingly re-elect him based on his proven track record. Collective leadership He said he believed in collective leadership and collective failure as against a pathological leadership style, which is based on �one-man� show. He said the tendency of some NDC chairmen to refuse to delegate power to their subordinates and wanting to do everything as sole chairmen sent the party to opposition twice because their ��pathological leadership style was not what is suited to political party organisation�. According to Dr Adjei, his leadership style of involving the rank and file in decision-making had brought about peace, harmony and unity in the party. He therefore, urged his critics not to take his quietness to mean he was soft and weak, adding that his collective leadership style had won the party two elections with two different presidential candidates and other electoral victories. Four contestants Dr Adjei is being contested by two of his Vice Chairmen Mr Kofi Portuphy and Alhaji Huudu Yahaya as well as a former diplomat, Mr Dan Abodakpi. Present at the function were many members of his national executive including the General Secretary, Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia, and the National Organiser, Mr Yaw Boateng Gyan.