Nana Akufo-Addo To Reclaim Power For NPP In 2012?

The overwhelming endorsement of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as the flag bearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), last weekend is the most refreshing news for party members and sympathisers of the Danquah-Dombo-Busia tradition.

Having come close to becoming Ghana’s third President of the Fourth Republic, Nana Addo missed the opportunity when he lost in the re-run of the December 7, 2008 Presidential election.

With another chance at the Presidency by verdict of the majority of the NPP party delegates, followers of the party are very hopeful that Nana Addo would not fail them this time come 2012.

Nana Addo confirmed this assertion in a chat with The Mirror at his Nima residence last Wednesday, when he said, “ this decision places a huge responsibility on me.

It is unprecedented and renews the special confidence they have in me. It is, therefore, my duty to deliver in 2012”.

Nana Addo thanked God for the opportunity to lead the party for the second time and said he was optimistic he would improve upon the 2008 performance.

He said when the results of last Saturday’s novelty election for the selection of the flagbearer started coming in he was humbly and pleasantly overjoyed.

He said the thoughts that run through his mind was about his family, especially his late father, Mr Edward Akufo-Addo, the third Chief Justice of Ghana and later a former President, as well as his grand uncle, Dr Joseph Boakye Danquah and uncle, Mr William Ofori-Atta (Paa Willie), all of blessed memory, who were part of the Big Six in Ghanaian politics.

According to Nana Addo, he saw himself standing in their shoes and continuing with the sacrifices they made for Ghana during the nationalist struggle, which finally culminated in the granting of independence to the country.

He explained that his support within the party is as a result of party people identifying and appreciating his dedicated service and the leadership qualities they believe he possesses.

'It is not about age or whose turn it may be. David Cameron may be young but the Conservative Party in the UK recognises his contribution to the party ever since he left Oxford.

He has also won elections, three times as MP and won the endorsement of the majority of his party members, with an electoral college about the size of what we have in the NPP today,' said Nana Addo.

Nana Addo intimated that the expectation of party faithful and sympathisers were high, as such, he wanted to ensure that the party remained very united, then follow it up by embarking on a vigorous national campaign that would take him to every nook and cranny of the country.

He said the party was poised on regaining power it lost in 2008 and that he expected everybody to get on board the campaign to realise the dream of the great tradition of the party.

He stressed the need for the country’s fledging democracy to be deepened with a strong market economy.

Nana Addo said Ghana was capable of being the first African country to operate along the lines of the Asian Tigers.

He said his primary concern was to generate wealth and property for the people but his goal and vision about this would be actualised when he wins power in the 2012 election.

Nana Addo, an apostle of a united Ghana and the rule of law, said he would provide security and opportunity for all to make a better living.

Nana Addo is a lawyer, politician and diplomat. He was one of the founding members of the NPP in 1992, and was also the founder and first chairperson of the Ghana Committee on Human and People's Rights.

Born March 29, 1944, in Swalaba, Accra, Nana Addo was raised in Ga Maamli (Accra Central) and in the Nima area of Accra.

His father's residence, Betty House at Korle Wokon in Accra, was the headquarters of the country's first political party, the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC), after it was formed at Saltpond on August 4, 1947.

Nana Addo had his primary education at the Government Boys School and later Rowe Road School (now Kinbu) both in Accra Central. Nana Addo went on to England to study for his O-Level and A-Level examinations.

He returned to Ghana in 1962 to teach at Accra Academy before going to the University of Ghana in 1964 to read Economics. After graduating as an Economist, he went on to read Law in the UK and was called to the English Bar (Middle Temple) in July 1971 and the Ghana Bar in 1975.

He had a stint with Coudert FrПres, a major US law firm, as an associate counsel, at its Paris office in France between 1971 and 1975.

The former Foreign Minister also worked as a junior partner at the chambers of U.V. Campbell, and in 1979 co-founded, with Dr Edmund Prempeh, the law firm, Akufo-Addo, Prempeh and Company in Accra.

Nana Addo has served on the boards and committees of a number of political, legal and social organisations in the country. He was also the Chairperson of DHL Ghana Limited; Chairperson, Kinesec Communications Company Limited, publishers of the Statesman.

Under the former President Mr John Agyekum Kufuor, Nana Addo was the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice from 2001 to 2003; he became Minister for Foreign Affairs from April 2003 to July 2007, when, in accordance with his political party's rules, he resigned to seek the presidential nomination of his party.

On December 23, 2007, Nana Addo was elected as the NPP's 2008 presidential candidate at a party congress, receiving 47.96 per cent of valid votes cast (1,096 votes).

Although he fell short of the required 50 per cent, the second-place candidate, Mr John Alan Kyerematen, conceded defeat and backed Nana Addo.

In the 2008 presidential election, Nana Addo received the highest number of votes in the first round of voting, but since he failed to obtain a majority, the election went into a run-off between him and the National Democratic Congress candidate, Prof. John Evans Atta-Mills. In the run-off, he lost the election to now President Mills by a 50.23 against 49.77 per cent votes.

Some of the lawyers who have benefited from Nana Addo’s tutelage, either directly or indirectly are Mr Atta Akyea, Member of Parliament for Abuakwa South; Mr Akoto-Ampaw; Mr Yoni Kulendi; Mr Kwame Akuffo, Mr Godfred Dame; Mr Egbert Faibille; among others.

Nana Addo, is married to Rebecca (nee Griffiths-Randolph). They have five daughters and two grandchildren and they regularly worship at the Ridge Church in Accra.