Alan Boys Join Nana

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Created on Monday, 22 September 2014 00:00

Alan Boys Join Nana

22 September 2014

More supporters of NPP flagbearer hopeful, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, continue to join the league of persons endorsing the candidature of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for the party’s presidential race.

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Over the past week, not less than three such high-profile personalities had switched camp to join the campaign to get Nana Addo—two-time flagbearer of the party—re-elected.

They include former Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Tamale, Mohammed Amin Anta and his colleague former Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Kintampo, Abdulai Razak, who have all declared total support for Akufo-Addo’s bid.

Others like John Kumah; Stephen Amoah; Joe Kad, Chairman of Nhyieaso Constituency where Dr Richard Anane—a strong backer of Alan—is MP; Archibald Cobbinah, Greater Accra NPP Organiser and a host of others who used to support Alan, have all crossed carpet to Akufo-Addo side.

Latest to drop his name on the endless list of supporters is former Ashanti Regional Chairman of the party and known strong Alan supporter, Robert Yaw Amankwah.

He made known his support when Nana Akufo-Addo and his campaign team stormed the Ashanti Regional capital of Kumasi as part of their nationwide ‘Thank You’ tour.

During the said meeting, Chairman Amankwah, as he is affectionately called, confessed that he did not support Akufo-Addo in the presidential primaries in 1998, 2007 and 2010.

Proven Record

However, Mr Amankwah noted that for the past 10 years Nana had proven to be loyal and committed to the ideals of the NPP, and as a former chairman of the party in the Ashanti Region who remains in constant touch with the grass roots, he had no doubt that Nana Akufo-Addo is the choice of the grass root supporters of the party and Ghanaians at large.

“I support Akufo-Addo because we serve the NPP, and everyone in the NPP says Nana Akufo-Addo is the one they want. If everyone is saying it is Nana, and his record in the party speaks for itself, why would I want to stay out of the winning team? My support is for no one but Nana Akufo-Addo,” Chairman Amankwah declared, much to the delight of delegates who gave him a standing ovation.

He continued, “If you go to school and cannot even pass the Standard Seven examination, how then can you tell all of us that you will get a degree from the university?” he queried in an apparent reference to some presidential aspirants who claim to have the ability to win general elections, despite not being able to win what he referred to as “a small contest of 740 delegates in the party.”

The former Regional Chairman therefore urged the 25,654 delegates from the Ashanti Region who would vote in the October 18 contest to ensure that they contribute their quota to ensuring an improvement of the August 31 Special Electoral College result, which saw Nana Addo recording an overwhelming 80.81% endorsement by the delegates.

Conviction

“No one can force me to support anyone in this party. I am 69 years old and you should not insult my intelligence. No one can say I was forced to support Nana. I am supporting Nana Akufo-Addo out of my own free will and we will make sure he wins the October 18 contest massively, and the 2016 elections, God-willing,” he added.

Some of the party stalwarts at the event were Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, 2008 and 2012 running mate to Nana Akufo-Addo; Osei-Kyei Mensa-Bonsu, Minority Leader in Parliament and MP for Suame; F.F. Anto, 3rd National Vice Chairman; Stephen Ntim, former NPP 1st National Vice Chairman; Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, former General Secretary of the party; Dr Nsiah Asare, former CEO of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital; 15 regional executives and 47 constituency chairmen.

Best Bet

Earlier on Thursday, the former MCE for Kintampo in the Brong-Ahafo Region , Abdulai Razak, did not only declare support for Akufo-Addo, but indicated that he (Nana) was the best candidate to lead the party to victory in 2016.

“At every stage, there is only one person who has to lead the NPP. I was an integral member of Alan Kyerematen’s campaign in 2007 when I was MCE. But now, I am for Nana Akufo-Addo. I urge you—those of us supporting Nana—to show magnanimity in our celebrations, after we win. Our duty after October 18 will be to ensure that we bring everyone on board, regardless of the aspirant they supported. We have to make sure that Nana Akufo-Addo becomes President in 2017,” he emphasised.

Credibility

A week before, the former Tamale MCE, Amin Anta, stunned a gathering in Tamale when he stormed a meeting at the Radach Hotel to throw his weight behind Akufo-Addo.

“I have heard people in Accra say that Nana Akufo-Addo cannot unite the party. I have heard people say that he is not a unifier. I want to ask you, if he is not a unifier, and cannot unite this party, then what am I doing here? Having been one of the key persons who did not support Nana in 2007 and 2010, and most of you know I was always convincing you not to vote for Akufo-Addo, my presence here should tell the whole world that the Northern Region is strongly united behind Nana Addo and we must demonstrate this on 18 October,” were his exact words.

Amin Anta said the NPP was blessed to have a man like Nana Addo who is seeking the mandate of delegates to lead the party into election 2016 since “they” (referring to the NDC) “are afraid of Nana because he is incorruptible and as President, will not condone corruption. They (NDC) say he is not a struggling man and will not dig his hands into the coffers of the nation.”

By Charles Takyi-Boadu

Source: Daily Guide/Ghana