Ghana safer with Akufo-Addo than 'corrupt' Mahama - John Boadu

Acting General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party, John Boadu, has assured Ghanaians that they have nothing to fear about the prospects of his party’s Presidential Candidate becoming the president of Ghana, from January 7, 2017, God willing.

Addressing his party supporters at Bimbilla in the Northern Region during a campaign tour, President Mahama sought to create the impression that Nana Akufo-Addo is a dictator and a divisive person who had been sacking from the NPP, people who disagree with him on issues. He therefore told the gathering it would be dangerous to elect him as the president of the country.

The president spoke as if he was not aware that the courts of the land had upheld the disciplinary action taken by the National Executive Committee of the NPP, on the recommendations of the party’s Disciplinary Committee, to suspend three national officers for stated misbehaviour.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with the Daily Statesman yesterday, John Boadu said law-abiding Ghanaians would have nothing to fear living under a government of Nana Akufo-Addo, who is determined to create a society of equal opportunities for all.

According to Mr Boadu, creating a society of equal opportunities for all requires a president who believes in the rule of law and is prepared to make a conscious effort to jealously guard the resources of the country, to ensure that they are fully utilized for the benefit of all and not his family members and friends.

“Nana Addo is the safest pair of hands for our country at this moment that corruption and naked looting of the national coffers have been allowed to reach unassailable heights. He is a person who is not corrupt; he is not going to loot state resources and share for his brothers and sisters and wife. He is going to uphold the rule of law and make sure that separation of powers is allowed to operate. He is the one whose tenure Ghanaians will see prosperity and growth for this country,” Mr Boadu stressed.

He assured the electorate that Ghana would be safer in all facets with incorruptible Nana Akufo-Addo as the president than President Mahama who once described corruption as ‘mass murder’ but has failed to do anything to tackle the canker.

“A president who comes from a very deprived society, and is given the opportunity to help change the living standards of his people, who ends up looting money meant for them through SADA project is rather the person who is dangerous for this country,” the Acting NPP General Secretary stated.

Mr Boadu added: “It is only those who have dirtied their hands by stealing the people’s money who see Akufo-Addo as a threat. Akufo-Addo has no business at all in even worrying about them. What he is looking for is to be given the opportunity to better the lot of the people of this country by continuing the sterling performance of Kufuor.”

On President Mahama’s new-found fixation of tagging his party’s presidential candidate as a divisive person, John Boadu had this to say:

“He (President Mahama) is the one behind that fake memo; the fake memo that has the potential and intention to divide the party and create the impression that it is Akufo-Addo that is doing so. It is for that reason why they concocted that fake memo and leaked it out. We are well aware that they are behind most of the things that they say are happening in the NPP and that they have been exposed. No amount of the use of money can destroy the NPP.”

Finally, Mr Boadu sought to find out, “Now, I want to know: when Konadu Agyemang Rawlings was leaving his party, was his party divided? Where was he? When Obed Asamoah was detained voluntarily for 24 hours, where was John Mahama? When Frances Assiam was whipped as a woman, where was he?”.

Meanwhile, Mustapha Abdul Hamid, Spokesperson for the NPP flagbearer, yesterday said it was surprising that President Mahama was playing to the gallery without any shred of evidence to back his outrageous claims.

First, he said it was palpably false for the president to claim that Nana Akufo-Addo was leading one-half of the NPP whilst the other remained aloof.

He pointed out that about 96% of the grassroots of the NPP voted to elect Nana Akufo-Addo as the flagbearer, adding that those who competed with him for the flagbearership, including Stephen Asamoah Boateng, Alan Kyerematen, Francis Addai Nimo, Kofi Konadu Apraku and Joe Ghartey, were all on the same campaign trail with him.

“So, where is the half of NPP supporters sitting with their arms folded which the president is talking about?” Mr Hamid asked in a radio interview.

He said President Mahama had confirmed that he had intended to ride on divisions within the opposition party to win the elections, hence his abortive subtle attempts to fuel confusion in the party.

Mr Hamid wondered why President Mahama decided to conveniently ignore the fact that impartial judges had affirmed the party's actions as legal and fair, insisting that was a testament to the failed attempt to fan the NPP's internal divisions and exploit same for political gain.

He described the NPP flagbearer as a consummate leader, who had proven to be a principled person and done well for himself in his personal life, adding: “He, therefore, is best placed to lead the transformation that Ghana badly deserves.”