Elections are a bitter exercise-Nana Akufo-Addo

Tamale, Feb. 16, GNA - Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has told NPP parliamentary aspirants that elections are a bitter exercise and that they must be prepared before filing for the primaries.

He said aspirants of the party who are vying for the primaries and parliamentary seats should not to contest if they were not sure of winning adding that 93Elections are not an easy business". Nana Akufo-Addo was addressing party aspirants in the Northern Region who are vying for the primaries of the party in Tamale on Tuesday after touring other parts of the country.

Among his team on the tour were; Jake Obetsebi- Lamptey, National Chairman of the NPP, Mr. Kwadwo Afriyie, General Secretary, Madam Otiku Afisa Djaba, National Women Organiser, Mr Boakye Agyako, National Campaign Manager and many other party bigwigs.

Nana Akufo-Addo appealed to the party executives at the national and constituency levels to give an open chance to all who are interested in contesting the primaries adding that the process must be neutral to all. He said all aspirants must also be treated equally saying, 93I do not have preferred a candidate" and that the candidate needed to be hard working, dedicated and committed.

The NPP Presidential candidate urged the party faithful to use decent language and desist from the campaign of insults and abusive language. He appealed to the party to forge a united front noting that divisions or factions in the party would affect their fortunes in the 2012 elections. Nana Akufo-Addo urged Ghanaians to ignore the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2012 elections saying that the NDC had failed the country in all their electoral promises including the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) which the NDC had failed to implement. According to him, the three bye-elections conducted under the Presiden= t Atta Mills' administration had been characterized by violence as against over 10 bye elections conducted under former President John Agyekum Kufuor. He appealed to the President to make the coming general elections to b= e free and fair.

He warned that if the President failed to make the 2012 elections free and fair, then 93We will advise ourselves=85.All die be die", he said. Nana Akufo-Addo said the NPP would soon set-up an Advisory Council to be headed by former President Kufuor.

Mr Afriyie, told the parliamentary aspirants that nominations for the party's primaries will be open on the 28th of February to 6th March and t= he nominations forms will be picked at the cost of GH¢1,000.