The main opposition National Democratic Congress on Friday rounded off its run-off campaign with calls by party bigwigs to loyalists to be most vigilant on election day. The rally, held at Kasoa in the Central Region and which saw a massive surge of people flock onto the streets was perhaps the biggest so far in the party’s recent campaigns. Several thousands of party supporters formed huge queues along the roads and for several hours the streets were gridlocked. In a brief speech by party founder Flt Lit. Jerry John Rawlings, he called on supporters to increase their vigilance at their various polling stations, as the NPP had the tendency to rig the election. He drew loud applause when he said the NDC’s majority in Parliament meant a “wind of change” is blowing through the nation. Former President Rawlings said the December 28 run-off is a must-win for the NDC as the party had come tops in six regions in the December 7 presidential polls. NDC campaign coordinator Alex Segbefia reiterated calls on the Electoral Commission (EC) to nullify the results of the early voting in the Ashanti Region. He said there were several irregularities that made the election in the region only pass for “a stolen ballot.” Several party kingpins addressed supporters, presenting different messages amid anti-NPP taunts. Former deputy defence minister Dr Tony Aidoo alleged that the party’s intelligence had information that ballot papers were being thumb-printed for Nana Addo, presidential candidate of the NPP, at the homes of some senior party members. Officials of the NPP have denied the claim. Dr Aidoo said the NPP had hatched a plan to intimidate supporters in the strongholds of the NDC, including the Volta Region. He told party loyalists to ignore such moves but ensure that they cast their ballot on Sunday. ‘Flip side’ Kasoa went gay on Friday. Perhaps it was time for the NDC to show off its support in the region after the NPP’s mammoth rally at the same grounds last July. Critics of the ruling party, including the NDC, had described the NPP crowd at the rally as bought, sponsored, tipped. Although a head count of supporters was remote, the Friday crowd in the Central Regional town could be put at several tens of thousands. Most of them were clad in NDC party paraphernalia – wristbands, hats and t-shirts. A handful of them had given themselves full body paintings in the black-green-white-red colours of the umbrella fraternity. The concrete rooftops of the several dozen houses and shops that surrounded the Old Market square where the rally was held were flooded with people eager to catch a glimpse of former President Jerry John Rawlings. At least for several hours, vehicular movement on the two-lane dual carriage road that runs through the town was impeded as supporters competed with vehicles for space. A few riders on motor cycles and scooters decorated in the party’s colours showed their dexterity on their machines as they zipped to and fro in the thick traffic. Party officials, who addressed the rally, including senior member Ama Benyiwa-Doe and campaign director Hannah Tetteh, were introduced with pre-recorded lines of the party’s “yere sasa mu” campaign refrain. Stepped up campaigns With less than three days for the country to head for the polls, both parties seem to have stepped up their campaigns. From television and radio commercials to robocalls, both the NDC and the NPP are pressing for the mandate of Ghanaians to register their third terms in office. Perhaps what seems to have been the new trend by the NPP, especially in its television commercials, – combining vision and sound – is portraying Ghanaians in the low income earning margins as also seeking to “go forward.” The NDC has been running ads in the various dialects, appealing to its supporters to demand change with its “yere sasa mu” campaign refrain. Attacks and counter-attacks have not been missing in action as each party struggles to play down the value of the campaign message of its rival. The race has become more interesting as there are only two parties contesting, but eligible Ghanaians would decide where they wish to be. The polls have predicted a tight race. Story by Fiifi Koomson