Mahama’s failures won’t guarantee NPP’s victory – Akufo-Addo

Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the 2016 presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party, has admonished members of the party that the failings of President John Dramani Mahama’s government would not automatically guarantee victory for the NPP in the 2016 polls.

According to Nana Akufo-Addo, despite Ghanaian downward economic spiral and the worsening standards of living of Ghanaians, “President Mahama and his government will do everything possible to cling onto power.”

He urged all members of the party to be guarded by the need for unity of purpose among the rank and file of party, whilst working hard in their respective polling stations and constituencies.

Nana Akufo-Addo made these comments when newly elected parliamentary candidates from the Juaben, Okaikoi North and Assin North constituencies paid courtesy call on him formally to introduce themselves to him.

“We should not think that because of the mismanagement of the Ghanaian economy, and the incompetence being displayed by this NDC government, the NPP will have an easy ride to power in 2016. The NDC is only interested in the next election and what they can get for themselves whilst in office, and will, therefore, not go down ‘without a fight’. They are not bothered about the suffering of the ordinary man,” Akufo-Addo said.

He added that: “We have a lot of work to do as a party, if victory is to be ours in 2016. Our victory in 2016 will not be an NPP victory, but victory for Ghana. The party in your constituency is looking up to you, the newly elected candidates, for leadership. Make your fellow aspirants who were not successful, a part of your campaign, and you can be assured of victory.”

Nana Addo also urged the parliamentary candidates to send the NPP’s message of hope, progress and prosperity for all Ghanaians under an Akufo-Addo government.

“The NPP is coming back because we have a plan to develop this country, so we can bring progress and prosperity to all parts of Ghana. We are coming so the young people of our country can get work to do. We have the men and women who can give this country a first class government, because Ghana is entitled to be a prosperous nation, not a poor country,” he added.

“We in the NPP, these days, always want to be in the news. We are always running to the media with our internal issues. Let me emphasise this once again. If there are things you have to say which are critical in nature, please let’s do so indoors. We must move away from always sending all our problems to the radio and the newspapers,” he said.

Parliamentary candidates assure Akufo-Addo of victory

Hon. Ama Pomaa Boateng, the incumbent Member of Parliament for Juaben, who was retained in her primary, assured Nana Akufo-Addo of her determination to ensuring that the 22,314 votes he obtained in the 2012 election, representing 74.64% of the valid votes cast, is increased substantially in 2016.

Mr. Issah Fuseini, the NPP’s candidate for Okaikoi North, said he was focused on ensuring the fostering of unity in his constituency.

“I am a Zongo boy, who works with a private equity firm, and as such I am able cut across all segments of constituents in Okaikoi North. I am living testimony of the popular adage that ‘perseverance pays’, because I have contested on other occasions and have lost. We cannot let Ghanaians down in 2016, and with hard work and perseverance, victory shall be ours in 2016,” Mr.Fuseini added.

On her part, Mrs. Abena Durowa Mensah, the NPP’s candidate for the Assin North constituency, assured Nana Akufo-Addo of a reversal of the party’s fortunes in the constituency in 2016.

“The 2,946 margin President Mahama obtained over you in 2016, and the 2,057 vote margin with which the NDC won the seat in 2012 will never happen again. We have put in measures and strategies to ensure victory in 2016, and these strategies are already yielding fruits. In 2016 the NPP can count Assin North as one of the seats in the party’s stable,” she added.