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As part of his unrelenting efforts to unite the rank and file of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) ahead of the 2016 elections, President John Dramani Mahama last Friday met all aspirants of the party�s December 20 congress at the Peduase Lodge at Aburi, in the Eastern region. The Peduase Lodge meeting was intended to reconcile all losing candidates with the new national executives and encourage them to assist government in delivering its enhanced better Ghana Agenda promises to ensure a smooth sail in 2016. Present at the �family gathering� was President Mahama, Chief of Staff, Prosper Bani and Mr Ato Ahwoi and other chieftains of the ruling party including almost all aspirants of the 8th congress that was held at the Baba Yara stadium. Addressing the gathering, President Mahama charged all defeated aspirants to put the outcome of the congress behind them and rally behind the new national executives for victory 2016. The President implored the NDC bigwigs to unite, stating that the NDC risk losing the next presidential and parliamentary election if kingpins of the party do not unite. The President counseled his party members to take a cue from a statement by former President Kufuor that �it is better to remain a messenger in a ruling party than a General Secretary of an opposition party.� He said government�s numerous infrastructural developments would come to naught if those seen as role models in the party do not unite and rally behind government to fulfill its 2012 campaign promises. �It is time we put the outcome of the congress behind us and unite ahead of election 2016. According to a participant at the meeting �all of us left the meeting relieved because before the meeting, there were rumors that some of the candidates who lost were threatening not to cooperate with the new national executives but that turned out to be false when we met last Friday�we had friendly discussions on how to unite our ranks and rally round government to achieve its goals.� In a related development, Flag Staff sources have confirmed to this paper that the President is planning a similar interaction with leaders of opposition parties and civil society groups. The discussion with leaders of opposition parties and civil society groups, according to the source, is intended to ease tension in the country and it will center on ways to develop the country. �The President is aware that dialogue with the members of the opposition has the tendency of reducing tension in the country ahead of the general elections and the mantra of �to jaw-jaw is better than to war-war� is what is at play here. �He would want to listen to the opposition elements and leaders of civil society organizations one on one what their concerns are regarding his political stewardship and the way forward,� the source told this paper.