Akufo-Addo to quit government?

The report carried by “The Heritage” a private newspaper based in the capital, Accra said Nana Addo-Dankwah Akufo-Addo wants to resign his position to concentrate on his presidential campaign bid, which is said to be suffering presently.

According to the report, one of the greatest worries of the man, who was tipped to succeed president Kufuor is getting jittery about the increasing popularity of one of strongest contenders, Yaw Osafo-Maafo who has been booted out of government. The report said Mr. Osafo-Maafo appears the overwhelming favourite for the ruling NPP's flagbearer for the 2008 race.

“The Foreign Minister according to close confidantes, has acquiesced to advice from close associates and members of his campaign team to call it quits and actively join the race to succeed president Kufuor.”

Although the time table for Nana Akufo-Addo's exit is still undergoing discussions, sources at his newly built and furnished campaign citadel at Kokomlemle, Accra say the Minister will be resigning from government very soon no matter what happens.

Both Nana Akufo-Addo and his swarm of foot soldiers are twitchy at the inroads being made by Mr. Osafo-Maafo and the report of this unscientific survey recently held by JOF FM.

The report of the study, although without scientific basis, has predicted that Mr. Osafo-Maafo and Prof. Evans Atta Mills are the front-runners for the race for the presidential candidacy of the NPP and the NDC respectively.

According to the paper, Nana Akufo-Addo's advisers and field workers led by “Chief Addorite” Victor Newman are panicky with the report that Mr. Osafo-Maafo, former Education Minister has taken a commanding lead in the 2008 presidential battle.

“The Heritage's team of investigators over the weekend stumbled upon the magnificent mansion converted into offices ready for the takeover by the Foreign Minister when he finally quits government and fully starts his campaign.”

The campaign citadel at Kokomlemle in Accra is said to be fully furnished with modern equipment and is currently manned by Mr. Newman, a general in the foreign minister's swarm of foot soldiers.

For the past two months, the Nana Akufo-Addo campaign team has been collating data on the possible chances of their idol towards capturing the first slot in the currently fractious political struggle with the ruling party.

“More and more friends and old pals are daily being co-opted in the campaign team with the recent re-entry of the former presidential press secretary, Kwabena Agyepong.

Mr. Agyepong together with former minister for Environment and Science, Christine Churcher, the mayor of Accra, Stanley Nii Adjiri-Blankson and Victor Newman form Nana Akufo-Addo's formidable team in the run-up to the NPP's presidential primaries for the 2000 election.

Mr. Agyepong triumphantly served president Kufuor in spite of the fact that he did not back him in the presidential primaries some eight years ago.

“His re-entry into his original hoe is seen as an attempt to help thwart and put at bay the efforts of other fringe candidates from causing a stir against the battle-hardened Nana Akufo-Addo, who is seen by his admirers as the apparent heir to the presidency but has lately been a weakened political hero.”

“Mr. Agyepong was spotted in the company of Nana Akufo-Addo over the weekend at the funeral of Ferdinand Ayim (former aide to the Minister for Tourism and Disaporean Affairs) at Kyebi (in Eastern Ghana) his fertile electoral turf.”

Despite the incessant denial, former minister of information, Dan Botwe has taken over the leadership of the campaign team of Mr. Osafo-Maafo with able and behind the scenes support from Madam Hawa Yakubu, the first vice-chairman of the ruling party and a quintessential political fighter from Bawku in the Upper West Region.

Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku although seen as one of the fringe candidates in the race has also stepped up his campaign with his “Friends of Konadu Apraku” (FOKA) club preparing the grounds for the electoral battle.