Akufo-Addo is Mahama’s campaign message - Hamid

President John Dramani Mahama has no tangible message to convince Ghanaians to retain him in office so he has targeted the flag bearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Akufo-Addo, for attack, Mustapha Hamid, spokesperson of the opposition leader, has said.

Mr Hamid argued that the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) was only interested in the “noises” within the NPP upon which it has based its campaign, but had been disarmed. He cited the exoneration of the party in the recent case involving suspended chairman Paul Afoko as well as other favourable occurrences within the NPP that have left the governing party with nothing tangible to fall on in their campaign.

Mr Hamid made the comments in an interview with Class FM's Naa Dedei Tettey on 12Live while reacting to several comments made by the president.

Mr Mahama, while addressing National Democratic Congress (NDC) supporters in the Northern Region on Tuesday August 24, described Nana Akufo-Addo as a divisive leader who was going round pleaded to be elected as president. Mr Mahama told the electorate to reject the NPP flag bearer because the presidency was not for experimenters.

“...It is a very dangerous experiment. Ghana is not at the stage where we are experimenting leadership, and so you cannot come and beg that we should try you. We are not in the era of experiments and trials; we are in the era of what is sure. We have seen this government; one of the major successes of this government is peace and stability. What we need in Ghana is an understanding president. The era of dictatorship is gone: we are not looking for a dictator, somebody who cannot stand criticism in his own party. If you criticise him, he will sack you. … That is not the kind of leader we are looking for. We are looking for a leader who can bring people together," he said.

“We are looking for a leader who can unite Ghana and not a leader who will divide Ghana. If you cannot unite your own party, how do you unite a nation?" he questioned.

But Mr Hamid has refuted such description of his flag bearer, pointing out that Nana Akufo-Addo became flag bearer with 96 per cent of votes at the primaries – an indicator of his huge popularity within the party.

“The people who contested against him are the leading members of his campaign. People like Alan Kyeremanteng, Addai Nimo are all part of the platform,” he added.

He said the supposed experience touted by President John Mahama “is the cause of the country’s mess”.

Mr Hamid said he would “rather be associated with a person who has shown a commitment in law and achievements in his own personal life” than keep Mr Mahama in office for another term.