The 2016 presidential candidate of the New
Patriotic Party, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, says if there are any group of
persons whose only hope of victory in the December 7 elections hinges on
rigging, then it is the President of the Republic, John Mahama, and his Vice
President, Kwesi Amissah Arthur.Nana Akufo-Addo was responding to claims
made over the weekend in Asawase by Kwesi Amissah Arthur, who stated that
opponents of the National Democratic Congress are plotting to rig this year’s
presidential and parliamentary elections.
However, in a sharp riposte on
Tuesday, October 4, 2016, whilst campaigning in the Ablekuma West constituency,
Nana Akufo-Addo indicated that this comment by the Vice President is an
indication that “Mahama and Amissah Arthur have already thrown in the towel.”
According to Akufo-Addo, “what I know is that President Mahama and
his Vice President own the copyright to the rigging phenomenon in Ghana. We in
the NPP believe in multiparty democracy. If Amissah Arthur has seen defeat
looming, I appeal to him not to say things that will anger Ghanaians. We beg of
him.”
The NPP flagbearer was confident of victory in this year’s
elections, and stated that the NPP would not need to rig this year’s elections,
or bribe the electorate in order to win, stressing that “this year,
Ghanaians are ready to ride on the back of the ‘Elephant’, and help the NPP do a
job for Ghanaians in the Jubilee House.”
Nana Akufo-Addo assured
the gathering at Shiabu, his first port of call in Ablekuma West, that “the
issues pertaining to the fishing industry, which is on the verge of collapse,
will be fixed by my government. Likewise, all I have said, including the
reviving of the NHIS, the effective implementation of the Free SHS policy,
1-District-1-Factory to help create jobs, amongst others, God-willing, will be
fulfilled when I win this year’s elections.”
He continued, “We
have the men and women in the NPP who, when entrusted with the people’s mandate,
will give this country a 1st class government, and return Ghana onto the path of
progress and prosperity, without discrimination.”
Nana Akufo-Addo
added that victory in the 2016 election for the NPP is of the utmost necessity,
explaining that “Ghanaians have become too miserable under this government.
We are on a rich land and yet we are poor, all because of bad leadership. We (in
the NPP) are coming into office to do a job for all Ghanaians.”
Urging the electorate to vote for the NPP’s parliamentary candidate for
the constituency, Hon. Ursula Owusu Ekuful, Nana Akufo-Addo stated that the only
means by which the NPP elects its leaders is through elections.
“Win
or lose (in NPP elections), you stay with the party. You have seen Alan
Kyerematen here with me today. He contested the NPP presidential primary, and,
yet, even though he wasn’t successful, he is here with me today campaigning.
That is the hallmark of true blue NPP members,” Nana Akufo-Addo
said.
Thank You For Services Rendered
With the
NPP aiming at securing a decisive majority in the popular vote, as well as
securing the majority of parliamentary seats, the NPP flagbearer appealed to NPP
members and sympathisers not to entertain any thoughts of voting “skirt and
blouse”, either in the presidential or parliamentary election in Ablekuma
West.
He, thus, urged all NPP supporters in Shiabu to rally behind Hon.
Ursula Owusu Ekuful and vote massively for her.
"Our party selects
leaders though internal elections. I, myself, was elected through such a
process. True party people stay with the party whether they win or lose. My
colleague Alan Kyeremanten, who I beat in our primaries, is still here with me.
He even speaks on my behalf. However, if you lose internal elections and you get
disgruntled and decide to leave the party, then you are not a true NPP
member.
"So, if you say you are quitting the party because you
lost an election, we will say: 'Thank you very much for your services, you go,
we will stay and fight the fight and make the way to bring the victory to the
NPP.' We don't give up, we don't fret, come what may, we are solidly behind the
Elephant," the NPP Flagbearer said. |
| |
|
|
|
