I welcome competition – Akufo-Addo

Two-time leader of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo says he is not perturbed about ongoing agitations within the party over who contests him in the presidential primary scheduled for October 18.

“I am not going to worry myself about people standing down or not. I welcome competition, I have always welcomed competition. The most important thing is that, on that day, October 18, the party must speak emphatically like the party spoke emphatically on August 31.”

Nana Addo received over 80 per cent of votes cast in the first ever Special Electoral College of the NPP, prompting calls from several quarters within the party for the other four contestants to stand down.

Joe Ghartey has already scratched himself from the presidential primary, leaving Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, Francis Addai-Nimoh and Kofi Osei-Ameyaw as the other contestants for next month’s conference.

During a campaign tour in the Upper West Region, where he polled 100 per cent in the August 31 elections, Nana Addo expressed trust in delegates to give him an emphatic win again.

“Not only did you make the promise, but you delivered," Nana Addo said on Monday.

"You will recollect that Sir John used the phrase ‘fear delegates.’ I will say ‘trust delegates’, especially when they act in the true sense of the word.”

He assured the delegates that he continues to be in politics because he believes he has something good for Ghana, assuring them “it is not for corruption, I am not coming to steal your money because I am not interested in that. Neither do I want to make money for myself or my family. I am in politics because I have a vision for this country, a vision that will help transform Ghana and bring prosperity to our people.”