Jacob Osei Yeboah, an independent candidate in the 2012 presidential election, is urging President John Mahama to lobby his colleague African leaders to erect a bust at the African Union headquarters in honour of Nana Akufo-Addo.
He told Joy News Akufo-Addo's acceptance of the dismissal of his petition challenging the election of President Mahama was such a selfless act of patriotism which contributed significantly to the peace of Ghana that he deserves recognition.
The Supreme Court in a split decision last Thursday dismissed the election petition brought by Nana Akufo-Addo, his running mate Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and national chairman of the New Patriotic Party Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey after eight months of hearing.
Barely an hour after the verdict was delivered Akufo-Addo called President Mahama, whose election was upheld by the court, to congratulate him and later announced his acceptance of the ruling much to the chagrin of some party members.
However, many dignitaries, both local and foreign, have commended him for his commitment to peace and respect for rule of law.
Adding their voice to the avalanche of commendations, presidential candidates of the parties that contested the 2012 elections praised him for making good his promise to accept the judgment on the election petition.
The candidates, amongst them, the CPP’s Dr Abu Sakara Foster and the PNC’s Hassan Ayariga, called on Nana Akufo-Addo at his residence at Nima earlier Wednesday.
Joy News' Elton John Brobbey who was there said the failed candidate took turns to congratulate him for the peaceful gesture.
Mr Jacob Osei Yeboah, affectionately called JOY, asked leaders who lose elections to emulate the NPP presidential candidate's example.
He went a step further to urge John Mahama to persuade his colleague heads of state to erect a statue for Nana Akufo-Addo at the AU's headquarters to honour him for his commitment to peace.
According to him, it is high time losers of elections in Africa were celebrated to deepen democracy.
On his part, Nana Akufo-Addo was of the conviction that everything being done by any Ghanaian should be geared towards the progress and welfare of the citizens.
He said: "well meaning people are those this country needs to build Ghana. We cannot agree on everything: it will be unhealthy if we agreed on everything.
"We want the situation where the different perspectives that there are about the solutions to our various problems are given the opportunity to be heard and then out of it we find what is solid and good to the progress of our people".
