An outspoken youth activist and a parliamentary hopeful of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) Ras Mubarak says he will win the Ablekuma North seat if given the nod in the upcoming primary of the party. To him, the NDC has lost the seat for the past 16 years and the time to wrest the seat from the opposition NPP is now. According to Ras Mubarak, the people of the constituency are yearning for different things in their lives “because they have been in opposition in Ablekuma North for 16 years in the hands of NPP and hope I will win”. “NPP is my least worry in this contest because if I am elected, I will work hard to beat NPP and beat them overwhelmingly in the 2012 elections,” he asserted. Ras Mubarak noted that if he becomes the MP for the area, he will tackle security, unemployment and empowering the youth in order to create better lives for them. He promised to set up a micro finance institution in the constituency which will give loans with lower interest rates to people in small businesses and those with business ideas. He said the theme for his campaign is “responsibility for all, opportunity for all” adding that team-work will win Ablekuma North seat for the NDC. The seat which has been won sixteen consecutive years by the opposition NPP was poised to make history by the NDC, according to Ras Mubarak. He said “the people of Ablekuma North constituency owe an obligation to elect a responsible leader who can improve their standard of living” adding that the NDC could do better than what the NPP has done for the constituency for the past 16 years. Ras Mubarak charged politicians to desist from politics of lies and failed promises because politics in Ghana is overwhelmingly becoming a sense of futility where “there are growing level of mistrust in the political leadership in the country by Ghanaians and are becoming politically disillusioned”. Speaking to Asempa Fm’s Ekosii-Sen, Ras Mubarak confirmed that he has submitted his forms and hoped to pass through vetting successfully in order to achieve the dream of leading the NDC and subsequently people of Ablekuma North. As a critic of the Mills/Mahama administration, Ras believes that will not prevent him from winning the congress and subsequently becoming the MP. He noted his criticisms in the past have even strengthened the NDC than harm it, noting that his criticisms were borne out of the growing disenchantment among NDC members especially the youth. When asked whether he could solve all the needs of the people of Ablekuma North, he said “no party or politician can satisfy all of its campaign promises” but assured the people of better services under his reign. The Norwegian-based activist of the party appealed to aggrieved supporters of the NDC who did not agree with his criticisms of the government to forgive him. Ras said “the NDC upholds the principles of democracy and criticisms forms part of it that is why after arriving in the country few weeks ago, I reached out to the president and apologized for any unwarranted words used against his government”. He said the party has gone beyond the Sunyani congress therefore urged all aggrieved members like FONKAR to be calm and follow party procedures in resolving their concerns. “The time has come for NDC members to reach out to each other like brothers and sisters because what is important is to retain the party in power,” he said.