Flashback: 'Ghanaians are smarter than you think' - Akufo-Addo to Mahama

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, in the run up to the 2016 Presidential elections called on John Dramani Mahama, the then President and flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress to refrain from his ‘one-touch victory’ slogan because it was an insult to Ghanaians.

John Dramani Mahama's hope for a one-touch victory in the 2016 Presidential elections was crushed by the New Patriotic Party as the incumbent lost woefully to Nana Akufo-Addo.

The NPP flagbearer in 2016 made this call to President Mahama because he was sure Ghanaians were not going to vote for the National Democratic Congress after what he called an 'abysmal' performance from his government.

“You mess up the economy, give them an exchange rate that is unstable, plague their livelihoods with dumsor, ensure that, on daily basis, the prices of goods and services skyrocket, increase utility tariffs astronomically, preside over widespread corruption, ensure the youth of our country cannot get jobs, our health and education systems are in deep crisis, and you expect them to reward you with a ‘one-touch victory'?" Akufo-Addo asked.

He continued, “Ghanaians are smarter than you think. They are discerning and they will vote in 2016 based on their livelihoods. They will take a look at their standard of living and they will then cast their vote.”

Read the full story originally published on August 26, 2018 on GhanaWeb

The 2016 presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has asked President John Dramani Mahama to accord Ghanaians with some measure of intelligence, as his ‘one-touch victory’ refrain is clearly an insult to them.

According to Nana Akufo-Addo, Ghanaians have experienced, and continue to experience untold hardships in their livelihoods under the Mahama-led NDC government and will vote wisely, and elect a competent government that will solve their problems in the 2016 general election.

“You mess up the economy, give them an exchange rate that is unstable, plague their livelihoods with dumsor, ensure that, on daily basis, the prices of goods and services skyrocket, increase utility tariffs astronomically, preside over widespread corruption, ensure the youth of our country cannot get jobs, our health and education systems are in deep crisis, and you expect them to reward you with a ‘one touch victory’”? Akufo-Addo asked.

He continued, “Ghanaians are smarter than you think. They are discerning and they will vote in 2016 based on their livelihoods. They will take a look at their standard of living and they will then cast their vote.”

The NPP flagbearer made this known at Nkawkaw, on day 2 of his 3-day tour of the Eastern Region, where he interacted with party faithful comprising regional and constituency executives, as well as the 9 parliamentary candidates and their competitors from the Afram Plains North, Afram Plains South, Abetifi, Mpraeso, Nkawkaw, Abirem, Atiwa East, Atiwa West, and Fanteakwa South constituencies.

While charging NPP members to remain resolute and firm in the party’s quest to win the 2016 election, he reiterated his call for party members to desist from resorting to the media to discuss internal party issues.

“I am appealing to NPP members, once again, to discuss internal matters using party structures. Every family has issues and do not take those issues outside. If we are going on radio, the people of Ghana expect us to use this medium to expose the deficiencies and failures of the NDC. That’s what we should be using our time on the radio to do, and not talking about ourselves. That’s our role as the party of opposition.

On the matter of party finances, which has taken a centre stage in the media, Nana Akufo-Addo told the gathering that at the last meeting of the party’s National Executive Committee, a 5-man committee, made up of capable, independent-minded high-ranking party members, had been instituted to investigate the issues and report back to the party.

“It is not as if nothing is being done about it. Something is being done about it, and it is being done within the structures of our party. That’s functioning party’s do. These internal matters, I appeal to you, let’s keep them as internal matters. The constant resort to the radio to put out information about the party is not helping anybody is not helping our party. We have to bring it to a stop, “Nana Akufo-Addo added.

The NPP flagbearer assured the gathering that in spite of the present happening in the party, he is resolved to making sure that he remains focused, adding that “I am not going to allow myself to be distracted by what is happening.”

Akufo-Addo’s focus, he said, is to “mobilise the majority of the people of Ghana to get the change that they deserve in the 2016 election,” with the further assurance that “come what may, the problems in the party will be resolved.”

He urged all NPP members and sympathisers across the country to join hands with him and help build Ghana again.

“I am assuring you that it is possible to build Ghana up once again. I am saying to you that within 18-months of an Akufo-Addo government, we will see significant change in the fortunes of our country,” he assured.