Alan must give Akufo-Addo a 3rd chance – F.F. Anto

The Ashanti regional Chairman of the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), F. F. Anto has suggested that all presidential hopefuls within his party shelve their ambitions and allow twice-defeated candidate Nana Akufo-Addo to go for a third consecutive time.

Mr. Anto believes such a move will inure to the party’s fortunes in the 2016 general elections.

According to him, contesting Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for the 2016 flagbearer slot will hurt the NPP’s chances.

As far as he is concerned, Nana Akufo-Addo must go unopposed in the party’s next presidential primary.

A debate is currently raging in the party about whether Nana Akufo-Addo should run again, after having been beaten twice.

It all started when General Secretary Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, also known as Sir John, told XYZ News in an interview, shortly after the election petition verdict, that the twice-defeated candidate is still the party’s best bet for winning the 2016 elections.

He is in good company with F. F. Anto who says he will impress upon other presidential hopefuls, if need be, to put their ambitions on hold and allow Nana Akufo-Addo one more chance.

“This is not the first time [that] we are asking everybody to shelve his political ambition in our party…in [the] 2004 elections, nobody was asked to contest President John Kufuor because he was a sitting President…if anybody had contested him, the impression would have been created that the President was not doing a good job. So people understood it. People had to sacrifice their personal ambition for that cause,” Mr. Anto noted.

He said: “It’s important [that] when you are in a bigger society or a bigger association, there comes a time that you should sacrifice for the good of the party”. Some of the names speculated for the flagbearer slot include two-time Aspirant Alan Kyeremanten who is widely perceived as the next in succession; former General Secretary and Legislator Dan Botwe; former Campaign Director of Nana Akufo-Addo in 2012, Mr. Boakye Agyarko; Nana Akufo-Addo’s 2012 running mate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia; former Information Minister Oboshie Sai-Cofie, former Trades Minister Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku and former Ambassador to the U.S., Isaac Osei.

Mr. Anto told XYZ Breakfast Show host Moro Awudu on Thursday that he will personally try to convince Alan Kyeremanten, Dan Botwe and the rest to delay their ambitions for the greater good.

“Dan Botwe is a very good friend of mine. I’ve worked with him since the University times. I know he has spent all his youth on this party. If you ask him to sacrifice and he looks at the argument and he thinks it’s better, he will sacrifice”, Mr. Anto said, adding that: “As for Alan, I know Alan very well”.

He said: “Nobody is imposing anybody on the party. Nobody can do that in our party but the point is that, people should analyse the situation and come out with a good decision”.