The New Patriotic Party will launch its Manifesto in the second week of August this year. Its outdooring would put to rest the claims by some political analysts and social commentators that the party had begun its electioneering campaign without a Manifesto, because it hasn't got any such document to show to the electorate. Lord Commey, NPP National Organizer, disclosed the proposed launch of the Manifesto when he briefed a cross-section of the media on the campaign activities of the party so far. He also announced that the selection of a running mate to partner the party's flag bearer, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, would be done at the same time. According to him, the Manifesto and the running mate would have to be approved simultaneously at the party’s Annual Delegates’ Conference - the high level decision making forum of the party - scheduled for a date yet to be fixed early next month. "As I speak to you the search is on; you will know the running mate at the Annual Delegates’ Conference when he or she will be outdoored”, he stressed. Touching on the Kasoa rally which comes off July 13, Lord Commey said the event was going to be the official kick-start of what he termed as the “massive campaign onslaught” to win this year’s national election. President John Kufuor is expected to officially outdoor Nana Akufo-Addo as the leader of the NPP whilst all the 230 Parliamentary aspirants would also be introduced to the party supporters. According to Lord Commey, President Kufuor would likely declare, “this is my next of kin; this is my man, so I endorse him.” He also told The Statesman that all the former 17 NPP Presidential aspirants would be lined up at the rally for them to declare their total support for the party’s Presidential hopeful. Nana Akufo-Addo is also expected to pronounce certain things to the nation and the world on the rally ground. Commey asserted that a week after the Kasoa event, there would be a gospel musical concert in honour of Nana saying, "There is not going to be a breathing space at all in the second phase of the campaign." Last week, there was a musical jam at the La Beach where Nana Akufo-Addo had a nice time with the youth as part of this year’s Republic Day celebration, which fell on 1 July. Again, a week after the gospel concert, NPP would mark its 16th Anniversary with a week long activities in all the constituencies across the country. "There is not a single day, single week that one can say we are resting; that is the kind of aggression we attach to this year’s campaign", he added. Asked to identify problems facing the party, the NPP National Organiser said the party’s main challenge was how to revive the dampened spirit of the foot soldiers "but the charisma of Nana Akufo-Addo as the leader, has added a class and positive change of heart because of his leadership style. Their zeal and interest are back." On the controversies surrounding the primaries in some constituencies, Lord Commey argued that the agitation and actions by party members challenging national leadership to ensure that correct and right procedures were followed were a good sign for the party. "It tells you of the zeal of ordinary party members, for instance, Lord Commey, you are the National Organiser; you think you can impose a candidate on us, we won’t allow it. I’m happy about this," he stated. He noted that NPP was focused and that the party could not afford to lose the upcoming general elections. In retrospect, the NPP national organiser admitted that the party was complacent during the 2004 polls hence, the 52.5% it had, and said "this time around the party is not taking chances at all". Meanwhile, the Convention People’s Party, will launch its manifesto on July 22, this year, to explain its policies and ideologies to the people to help the party increase its membership and supporters. Paa Kwesi Nduom, the Flagbearer of the party announced this at a meeting with representatives of the party including Chairmen, Parliamentary Candidates and other executives in Kumasi. He said the party was in the process of electing its Parliamentary Candidates in all the 39 Constituencies of the Ashanti Region and hoped that would be completed by the end of July. Source: Statesman