The two major political parties in the country, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Party (NDC) have promised a tough show down for the votes and Parliamentary seats in the Eastern Region during this year’s Presidential and Parliamentary elections. This was the outcome of two separate interviews granted to the Ghana News Agency by the Regional Secretaries of the two major political parties, Mr Alecs Agobo of the NPP and Mr Anthony Gyampoh of the NDC in their new year messages to their party sympathizers on Monday. Mr. Gyampoh, predicted a big sweep of votes by the NDC in the Eastern Region during this year’s general elections because of the goodwill that the party is now enjoying in the region among the electorate as a result of the difficulties facing them. He added that, the party’s machinery was working assiduously towards sustaining the goodwill it had gained from the people to ensure a rout of the NPP at the polls. The largest opposition party used to hold about twenty parliamentary seats in the Region but that had dwindled to six seats with three of these coming from the Krobo area, two others from the Afram Plains and one from the Upper West Akim Constituency. But Mr Gyampoh gave the assurance that the political hitch is over and the NDC is now poised to recapture its lost glory in many of its former constituencies, including the Asuogyaman, Suhum-Kraboa-Coaltar, Birim North and the Akuapem District. The Regional scribe therefore entreated NDC adherents to be steadfast and positive in their approach to issues as they wait for the big day in December. As to what was going on for the NDC to predict such a massive outcome, Mr Gyampoh said many of the electorate now realize they now live under an economic and social bondage when they are in need and were being told by people in government that “all is well with them” and are yearning for the return of the NDC to liberate them from the quagmire being experienced under NPP. He said with the current approach to issues, the NDC would emerge victors in the elections to continue with their social development agenda. Mr Agobo of NPP, a classmate and colleague of Mr Gyampoh from basic level to tertiary level and rivals at the different ends of the political divide said NPP would not be complacent during this year’s election as it seeks to consolidate its hold on power. He said the elections of Nana Akufo-Addo, who hails from the region as the NPP’s flag bearer, has added an impetus to the strategies outlined by the party to outclass its fiercest opponent, the NDC in the region. NPP currently holds 22 of the 28 parliamentary seats in the Eastern Region, but Mr Agobo said the party is set to increase its tally as it makes foray into traditional NDC strongholds. Mr Agobo therefore, appealed to his party men to work as a team towards ensuring that the party increases its voter’s base in the region to ensure the party’s victory in the December 2008 polls. He also exhorted the party adherents to ensure unity at all times so as to ensure an integrated canvassing platform to enable the NPP to continue with the development projects it had initiated for the nation. Source: GNA