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General News of Tuesday, 21 October 2014

Source: Eric Boateng

Akufo-Addo will beat Mahama even in NDC primaries – Kofi Jumah

Former Member of Parliament (MP) for Asokwa, Maxwell Kofi Jumah, has stated emphatically that Nana Akufo-Addo’s popularity goes beyond the borders of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

It is in the light of this that he believes the NPP flag bearer will defeat President John Dramani Mahama if presidential primaries were to be organized for the two political rivals in the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

“I’m yet to see anyone who will say he is more popular than Nana Akufo-Addo in Ghana today. Of course, an NDC member will say Mahama is popular within the NDC…I dare the NDC to organize primaries for the two. Nana Akufo-Addo will beat Mahama even in the NDC,” he asserted.

Kofi Jumah also said the overwhelming endorsement that delegates of the NPP bestowed on the twice defeated presidential candidate is a clear signal that he (Nana Addo) will win the 2016 elections with ease. He was speaking in an interview with MONTIE FM’s Mugabe Marsi in Accra.

“In the history of the party (NPP) and indeed in the history of politics, no candidate seeking to lead a political party had had this kind of overwhelming endorsement. It shows how popular the man (Nana Addo) is,” he insisted.

When quizzed why Nana Addo is more popular than President Mahama yet he fails to win presidential elections, Kofi Jumah said “Nana Addo lost the two elections (2008 and 2012) because they (Electoral Commission and NDC) rigged it”.

“NDC has never won elections in Ghana since the time of Rawlings,” he alleged.

The former legislator also disagreed with assertions that Nana Akufo-Addo’s votes within the NPP continue to appreciate as against a dwindling outlook in general elections.

“Nana Akufo-Addo’s vote has always been increasing. It is important that we explain to Ghanaians that even though figures from the general elections are massaged, his votes keep appreciating,” he claimed.

In a related development, Kofi Jumah has warned people calling on Alan Kyeremanten to resign from politics following his poor performance at the party’s Saturday congress, to desist from such comments.

He said Nana Addo’s victory is a sign of unity in the NPP urging all and sundry to rally behind him in order to ensure that the NDC is shown the exit in the 2016 elections.

Nana Akufo-Addo polled 117,413 votes representing 94.35% of total votes cast at the NPP’s Delegates’ Congress. Alan Kyeremanten polled 5,908 votes representing 4.75% and Addai-Nimoh polled 1,128 representing 0.91 percent.