NPP poised to win run-off History favours ruling party

History, it is said, serves as a guide into the future.

The leadership of the New Patriotic Party is relying on this maxim to assert that the party, which won the December 7 presidential election but could not hit the 50% plus 1 mark in the presidential race to ensure total victory, would win the presidential run-off scheduled for December 28, 2008.

Peter Mac Manu, NPP National Chairman, stated that the record of the country's recent political history shows that once a party takes the lead in a first round ballot, "victory in the second round is firmly assured.'

He was addressing the media at the party"s headquarters yesterday by way of reviewing the just-ended general elections by the National Executives including the President, John Kufuor, Vice President Aliu Mahama, the party's presidential candidate for the election, Nana Akufo-Addo, and his running mate, Mahamudu Bawumia.

The National Chairman cited 1979 when the People's National Party presidential candidate, the late Hilla Limann, led the first round against the Popular Front Party's Victor Owusu, which went in his (Limann's) favour.

He went further to cite 2000, when then NPP presidential candidate J.A Kufuor, led the first round and won the Presidency in the second round against the National Democratic Congress' presidential candidate, then Vice President J.E.A Mills.

Mac Manu then predicts, 'This year, Nana Akufo-Addo leads in the first round against the same J.E.A Mills, and will most probably be elected President in the second round.'

According to Mr. Mac Manu, the voting pattern of Ghanaians at the recent polls indicated that it requires a broad approach to government and said with the experience and skills of Nana Akufo-Addo, as a third term MP for Abuakwa South, he remains the best to work with different political parties in Parliament.

While setting the record straight, the NPP described the claim by the NDC that it has majority members in Parliament, as false and sheer propaganda because 'no party obtained 116 seats and above.' Ghana's Parliament is made up of 230 seats.

The official parliamentary results released by the Electoral Commission for the two main parties are NPP, 108 and NDC, 113 seats.

Explaining, Mac Manu hinted that the four independent candidates, who campaigned for the NPP presidential candidate had indicated their intention of voting with the NPP, bringing the NPP total voting capacity to112.

They stood for the Nkawkaw, Bekwai, Wulensi and Bosome-Freho constituencies.

According to him, the NPP is poised to win Akwatia and Asutifi South - which the EC had not yet declared because of electoral disputes.

The NPP is also challenging the results of a number of seats declared in favour of the NDC. These are Ablekuma South, Akontombra, Sefwi Wiawso and Tain constituencies. He commended the party executives, rank and file, polling station executives, and foot soldiers for their dedication and selfless service to the party, and urged (party) supporters and all Ghanaians to turn out in their numbers to vote and deliver a massive victory for Nana Akufo-Addo on December 28 this year.