NANA ADDO DANKWA AKUFFO ADDO – THE BEST AMONG EQUALS IN THE NPP FLAG BEARERSHIP RACE

Coming events cast their shadows. This adage is an indication of what the likely result of the 7th August, 2010 NPP delegate to choose its flag bearer will be. When the 115,000 delegates go to the polls on that day, the decisions will be one and only one – Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo elected the Presidential Candidate of the NPP for 2012 election.

All the five NPP flag bearer aspirants are men of excellent integrity and are great achievers in their own rights. In any contest however, stakeholders are bound to analyze the major issues of interest to inform their choices. The main consideration that the NPP delegates will be taking into account when making this important choice will be to select the most marketable, popular, decisive and consistent person to lead the NPP into election 2010 victory. The man with the greatest chance of wrestling political power from the non-performing Prof. John Evans Atta Mills' NDC government is none other than Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo.

The NPP 2008 presidential candidate is the best among equals in the race for the top most leadership position in the party. Nana Addo is without any doubt many miles ahead of his closest contender in this contest. The overwhelming support Nana Addo enjoys within the rank and file of the NPP and the general Ghanaian society is unprecedented in the history of our party. Nana Akuffo Addo's credentials at all levels of his professional, political and social endeavors he has proven beyond a shred of doubt that given the mandate by the party's delegates on 7th August, 2010, this nation's most celebrated politician, human rights advocate and business man has the aptitude to salvage the fortunes of NPP to come to return to power on 7th January, 2013.

Nana Addo's believe in the Ghanaian's ability to develop the country, his support for grass root participation decision making, his contributions to the NPP family and to Ghana's match to deepening democracy, the rule of law and constitutional governance and his credentials that span a period of over thirty-five years is a highly admirable by any stretch of imagination. If there is any one in the NPP flag bearer ship race who has demonstrated his capability, tenacity and confidence to give Ghanaians the needed hope in our quest to solving our problems, then the best among equal is incontestably Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo.

There have been all manner of innuendoes to dent the reputation of Nana Addo ironically however the support Nana Addo enjoys across the length and breadth of the country continue to increase. His personal efforts and support for the expansion of the NPP's Electoral College to include all polling station executives is perhaps his biggest trump asset into this contest. It is very significant to appreciate that Nana Addo's dream to ensuring that the NPP continue to provide the vision for a true democratic paradigms in the Ghana and entire Africa political space is on course. Nana Addo exhibited once again that he is resolved to contribute in making a truly comprehensive grass root participation in the decision making process.

It is with tacit conviction many Ghanaians that are extremely hopeful that when Nana Addo gets the nod to lead the NPP into election 2012 he will push for further expansions in grass root participation in the NPP. This achievement will show the rest of the world Ghana's match to the true values of democracy is a serious agenda and make us the pivot of democracy on the African continent. Nana Addo's personal contributions, efforts, ideas and commitment to the attainment of this feat are greatly attested to by efforts at getting Ghana's democracy this far.

In democratic societies, the best candidate must have had a taste of parliamentary experience. Nana Addo has the most parliamentary experience among the entire contestant. He has been in parliament for twelve (12) years three (3) terms from 1996 to 2008. Nana Addo was a ranking member of parliament between 1996 and 2000. He was the shadow Minister of Justice and Attorney General and a respected member of the august house of legislature. Nana Addo's influences in parliamentary debates were significant in chartering our course of democracy and governance.

Nana Addo's rich experience in our parliamentary discourse both as an opposition member in the House and as Member of Parliament on the ticket of the party in government is an accomplishment that none of the other aspirants possess. The running of a democratic state like Ghana requires someone who has tremendous knowledge, excellent skill and outstanding experience to manage the intricacies of governance. Ghana needs someone with first hand record of governance from all levels in order to achieve our developmental agenda. The best the NPP delegates can give Ghanaians is electing Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo as the presidential candidate.

Nana Addo is the most astute politician in Ghana today. Most of the goofs of President Atta Mills could have been avoided if Prof Mills had the political experience akin to Nana Addo. Unfortunately Ghanaians are saddled with a president who does not appreciate the import of his actions and inactions. A president seems to have lost touch and become so insensitive to the plight of the Ghanaian voter. President Mills rely on second hand information when it comes to issues bordering on our collective resolve to development. One can compare former President J. A. Kuffour's style of governance to that of President J.E.A Mills and the stack realities will be evident. President Kuffour had been a legislator and so learned the rudiments of the Ghanaian's predicaments. Such a rich experience enabled him to prudently manage the affairs of the state.

Ghana therefore needs someone in the person of Nana Addo to give the type of leadership that has eluded us under the Mills administration. Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo is truly the best among equals in the NPP flag bearer ship race. Nana Addo is in this race just like the previous in 2007 on his own keel. The argument that he is relying on the contributions of his father, His Excellency the former President Edward Akuffo Addo of the 2nd Republic is extremely baseless. At no time in the history of Ghana has a son of a president shown commitment to the Ghanaian than Nana Addo has been doing in our body politics. Nana Addo is definitely not the only child of H.E. President Edward Akuffo Addo.

Nana Addo has “fought” his way into prominence on his own accord without a trace of father's instigation, machinations or influence. Nana Addo's dream of becoming Ghana's President is not born out of his father's persuasions. If his childhood circumstances and family ties had influence on him, then it may have been the exposure he received growing up. His appreciations of the numerous challenges facing Ghanaians and his resolve to ensure solutions were quickly generated very early in his life.

Nana Addo's commitment to democracy has been exhibited many times over the years. No one can take anything away from him in terms of fighting for freedom, justice and rule of law. He could have cocooned himself by basking in the image and achievements of his father but no Nana Addo refused to be “spoiled” by his family lineage and ties but rather struggled through education to become one of ghana's most respected lawyer, politician and business man. Nana attained these feats not by accident or through the benevolence of family or friends. Nana Addo has meticulously chartered a path to lead Ghana through selfless sacrifices and risks even at the peril of his life. During the Supreme Military Council regime of Gen Kutu Acheampong, and the PNDC regime of Ft. Lt. J.J. Rawlings Nana Addo was a prominent advocate against these unconstitutional military despots.

The motivation that led him to fight against the Union Government of the Acheampong in 1978 and the PNDC government continue to provide the burning fuel to regain power from the NDC government in 2012. The track records of Nana Addo Dankwah make him undoubtedly the best among the NPP presidential aspirants. Although the other aspirants have their positives and achievements, pound for pound Nana Addo is the best among them to provide the type of leadership quality needed to wrestle power from the non performing Mills government. Let the NPP delegates show Ghanaians and the rest of the world that hard work pays and consistency, confidence and tenacity of purpose is a prerequisite to attaining the leadership slot of NPP and hence become president of Ghana come 2013.

Within the NPP fraternity the list of very prominent members in parliament and the rest of party activist, foot soldiers and other highly influential member who continues to publicly declare their support for Nana Addo Dankwah Akuffo Addo show that he is winning the flag beareship slot. The unprecedented and overwhelming support Nana enjoys in the party and the nation is an ample testimony that coming events cast their shadows. Across the entire country the cry of the people for the return of NPP to government with Nana Addo as president continue to echo ceaselessly. Many people have lost hope in the Mills' governance and now members of the NDC are knocking themselves over with tooth and nail to replace him (Prof Mills) barely two (2) years into governance. Because the wrong candidate Mills was chosen, the country has been saddled with a “hopeless” administration.

Even those who imposed him (Mills) on the NDC have retracted their steps. The statement that coming events cast their shadows was portrayed by H.E. Mrs. Kunadu Agyeman Rawlings prior to election 2008 when she (Mrs Rawlings) said that the then Candidate Mills was not going to be treated with kid's gloves. This was even before the then Candidate Mills was to chose his Vice. What the former first lady said was in clear violation of the NDC's constitution that mandated their elected presidential candidate to choose his Vice in consultation with the elders of the party.

The reasons for the “testing of the waters” by groups in the NDC purporting urging the former first lady to contest the flag beareship slot of the NDC for the 2012 election is indication to occupy the highest office of our land one must come on his own strength, confidence and competent rather than being sponsored by other persons support no matter how prominent the person is a recipe for chaos. In the vent that the sponsoring agent withdraws his or her support as a result of trying to be “one's own man” the nation will be the loser.

The NPP delegates will elect Nana Addo who has been on board and is coming into the contest on his own accord and track record. He had not been handpicked by anybody nor enjoyed presidential support even when the NPP was in power. Most political pundits were of the opinion that Nana Addo's endorsement for the flag bearer ship slot was from the rank and file of the party than any individual or group of individuals. As we go to elect the party's leader therefore a candit observation by all is that – Coming events cast their shadows- Nana Addo's victory in the NPP flag bearer ship race is clearly without any shadow of doubt that Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo is the man to win the coveted slot.

A decisive and competent president is the one who has the dreamt and aspired very early in his/her life and showed through actions and involvement in political leadership activities. We have the best person in Nana Addo because he has demonstrated excellent credentials in our body politics, management and professional life. Nana Addo is the best among the NPP aspirants who will be the one to take NPP back to political governance by the 2012 election.

The NPP delegates will therefore follow the adage that coming events cast their shadows and choose the best among equals – Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo to win election 2012 and salvage the socio economic quagmire of the NDC government.

Fred Amankwah-Sarfo
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 054 433 1324