I will break the 2-term presidency record -Akufo-Addo

Source : The Chronicle/ Ghana | Wed 04th August, 2010 

The 2008 Presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has stated that he would break the record of Presidents who serve for two consecutive terms.

According to him, though it is an emerging phenomenon, which started under former President Jerry John Rawlings, it would not happen under President John Evans Atta Mills’ administration.

He said though the performance of an incumbent President plays crucial role in determining the second term presidency, there are clear indications that Ghanaians are not ready to vote NDC back into power in the 2012 general elections.

He vowed to ensure that the dream of President Mills, who has declared his intention to seek re-election, is not achieved. According to him, ordinary Ghanaians are suffering due to the upward adjustment of utility tariffs.

“Currently, under this administration, everything is not moving well. Utility tariffs are sky-rocketing and the economy is shrinking, no investments are being made and Ghanaians are suffering,” he said.
Speaking on Metro TV programme yesterday, the lead presidential contender of the NPP said despite the good legacy left behind by the NPP administration, things are beginning to fall apart.

The 2008 presidential candidate, who spoke on a wide range of issues, also admitted that factionalism exited in every political party. According to him, he has the capacity to unite and bring everybody on board to ensure the victory of the NPP, adding that his ability to unite members was ably demonstrated when he brought on board all sixteen contenders who competed against him in December 2007. He urged the delegates to vote for him because his name was a household one in Ghana.

Responding to issues that people should wait for their time, he dismissed it and stated that leaders emerge at a particular point in time, but was quick to say that the phenomenon that saw the emergence of Barrack Obama, the President of USA, could still emerge within the NPP.

Nana Akufo-Addo said the emergence of a leader within the NPP was as a result of their track records and achievements, citing examples of the late Prof. Adu Boahen and former President Kufuor to buttress his point.

According to him, name and face recognition is vital in politics, because when he contested President Kufuor in 1998, he was not widely known because he had not contested a national election before.