Akufo-Addo snubs Togo's Prez Faure?

In what could be described as an unfortunate incident, twice defeated Presidential candidate of Ghana's opposition New Patriotic Party, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has snubbed or refuse to acknowledge and congratulate President Faure Gnassingbe on his third term victory in the presidential polls, more than 72 hours after the confirmation of the results by Togo's constitutional court.

While the 2016 flagbearer of the NPP was quick to congratulate the Nigerian opposition presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, even before he was pronounced victor by the country’s Electoral Commission; that was not to be in the case of the 48 year old incumbent President of Togo, Faure Gnassingbe.

Even though the Independent National Electoral Commission of Togo has officially declared President Faure Gnassingbe winner of the April 25 elections and he has since been sworn into office, the widely publicize development is yet to catch the attention of Nana Akufo-Addo.

President Gnassingbe won the April 25 elections in the tiny West African nation, securing 58.77 percent of the vote against 35.19 percent for his closest contender, opposition leader Jean-Pierre Fabre. He has since sworn the oath of allegiance for a third term of office Tuesday.

Several world leaders, including the Chairman of ECOWAS, President John Dramani Mahama have congratulated President Gnassingbe on his third term victory.

Although many would have least expected a different country's opposition leader to congratulate a President-elect of another country, Nana Akufo-Addo's countless congratulatory messages to the newly elected Gen Buhari even before he was formally pronounced winner and his loud silence on neighbouring Togo's poll results, is what is raising eyebrows.

Some political analysts say Nana Akufo-Addo snubbed the Togolese President because his victory does not add any shine to his (Nana's) third attempt at the presidency in 2016, as in the case of Gen Buhari.

Gen Buhari made history in Nigeria last month as the first and only opposition leader to end the 25 year rule of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party by beating incumbent President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan in a fiercely contested presidential election.

His election became a major topic in Ghana following permutations by NPP leaders and their supporters that factors and circumstances that led to Buhari’s massive win presently exist in Ghana and will certainly favor Nana Addo in the 2016 presidential elections.

Gen Buhari won the elections at age 72 after four attempts, while Nana Addo in his third attempt at the Presidency would be almost 73 by swearing-in time in January, 2017.

Bent on exploiting the Nigeria opposition leader’s victory to his advantage, and in order to boost his fast-dwindling third attempt at the presidency, Nana Akufo-Addo sent an impromptu’ congratulatory message to Gen. Buhari long before he was formally pronounced winner.

He followed it up by dispatching a high powered NPP delegation led by first vice Chairman, Freddy Blay to personally deliver another fraternal message to the newly elected Nigerian leader.

And, as if that was not enough, the former Abuakwa South legislator, in calculated and spirited move, also travelled to Nigeria to personally meet the former military dictator only to be treated like a party foot soldier.