On My Humble Mind: Open Endorsements Galore Goes Gaga For Akufo Addo

The New Patriotic Party's 2012 Presidential candidate, Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo - Addo resumes his campaign to solicit the mandate of the delegates of the New Patriotic Party's special congress slated for August 31st, 2014 to prune the number of Aspirants from the qualified seven to five as mandated by the party's constitution.

The August 31st, 2014 special delegate congress is part of the party's process towards the election of the flagbearer at the main national congress slated for the 18th October, 2014 . Where over 140, 000 members of the party will go to the polls to elect the leader who will carry our mandate to wrestle power from the incompetence of President John Dramani Mahama's NDC government.

The spate of endorsements across the country by delegates of the NPP makes Nana Addo's campaign somewhat a formality. The level of support shown to the man whose conduct in the political space of Ghana and respected across the entire Africa continent and the world community continue to reverberate across the entire party.

Alternatively narrowly missing the 50% + 1 mark in 2008 and losing the 2012 elections through an obvious manipulation of the electoral system by the collusion of electoral officers and denied by the supreme court to right the wrongs of the electoral malpractices, Nana Akufo - Addo's image and reputation has reached a pitched crescendo.

Nana Akufo - Addo continue to enjoy massive support not only within the membership of the party, but most importantly the majority of the Ghanaian voter who have observed the almost four decades of meritorious political activism of a man ready, willing, capable with a clarity of mind, articulate, visionary and a drive to transform the fundamentals of the socio economic growth of the country.

Many pundits and political observers have called the contest to elect the next flagbearer of the NPP a no contest for Nana Akufo - Addo. Although there are six other contestants vying for the position, the others are seen as adding to the package.

During my campaign to be elected as the party's National Vice Chairman, it was very obvious that the delegates were all in concert to ensure that Akufo - Addo led the party to the 2016 election.

It is therefore of no surprise that majority of the NPP Members of Parliament, the entire regional executives who form the core of the special delegate congress slated for August 31st, 2014 have all shown in practical and concrate terms and with confidence their preference for the leadership of Nana Akufo Addo.

Without doubt, the public endorsements by these calibre of persons within the party sends a signal to the unity of purpose in the New Patriotic Party. Akufo - Addo is the rallying point for unity in the party. Never in the history of this party has there been such a public display of support by almost every delegate for one man. Akufo - Addo is an astute political leader, he has seen it all and tasted defeat and success in a number of elections. The campaign team of Nana Addo is not oblivious to fluidity in the voting patterns of any election.

The team has therefore not been complacent in its efforts to ensure that the public display of support and endorsements across the length and breadth of the country would culminate into actual votes on 31st August, 2014.

Without being dismissive about winning abilities of the other contestants, the closest main contender in the race is Mr. Alan Kwadwo Kyeremanten, a fine gentle man by any standard, a qualified member of the party who has also contribute significantly to the development of the party.

Without any stretch of imagination, Mr Kyeremanten's inclusion enriches the flagbearership contest and as liberal democrats, the NPP rank and file accommodates diversity of opinions expressed within the principle of respect, decorum and circumspection.

The writings are clearly on the wall as day follows the night that Nana Akufo - Addo is wining the race for the flagbearership position of the party. The campaign messages of the other aspirants have now shifted from what they bring on board as an alternative to the huge contributions and political mileage Akufo - Addo offers to an appeal to him to step down for others.

Clearly, this will be an admission that in so long as the people of Ghana want to see the presidency of Akufo - Addo, and so long as Nana Addo has accepted the cry and appeal of many in the NPP to contest, any one who see his efforts dwindling in the face of such massive public show of support and affection for Akufo Addo should humbly throw in the towel to avoid humiliations at the polls.

As posit by Mahatma Ghandi, “First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, and then you win.”

It has dawn on those who have used all types of machinations to continuously denigrate the stature of Akufo Addo to realize that his win is eminent. The last card is to now appeal to him to step aside.

The mood of the party currently is such that, members have come to the realization that, the fortunes of the party in the 2016 election rests on the humble shoulders of Nana Akufo Addo. Therefore, many would have loved to see every aspirant joined the moving train in the direction of success.

Unfortunately for those whose use unsubstantiated data and unorthodox analysis to attack Akufo - Addo, their actions rather help to shore up the image and reputation of Akufo - Addo. The man's popularity and the public declaration by his colleagues in cabinet in the President J.A. Kuffour's government and within the rank and file is so high that, his endorsement ahead of the delegates congress continue to go gaga.

Many party faithfuls, disillusioned Ghanaians who are fed up with the NDC's abysmal performance are waiting with bated breadth a declaration of all the other six Aspirants in support of the man of the moment, Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo Addo to lead the NPP in the 2016 election.

Be it as it may, the campaign team is focused, determined, ready and wiling to work tirelessly until the last ballot is declared. While 2016 national election is the ultimate focus, each stage of the process including the internal contest is seriously and religiously being pursued.

Understandably, the success of any activity is in the attention to detail of all concern. Let's join in ensuring a successful competition devoid of rancour, acrimony and suspicion.

After all is said and done, the interest of the party must be supreme. Let's all rally behind the man who is clearly in the lead to win the flagbearership race with a larger margin.

The other contestants may have their support within the delegates, but none has seen the anyone publicly declaring in their favour.

Thank you.
Fred Amankwah - Sarfo.
(Member, NPP)