Akufo-Addo Conquers Ashanti

…Isaac Osei trails Alan Cash closely

Story: Frank Mensah and Richard Owusu-Achaw

A SNAP survey by TRUTH has confirmed a convincing lead by Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo in the NPP flagbearership race.

The survey conducted after the two leading aspirants had toured the Ashanti and Brong Ahafo regions , indicated that the former Presidential candidate is head and shoulders above the other aspirants including Mr. Alan Kyerematen, “the Cash man”.

Two hundred and fifty party executives and sympathizers as well as traders were randomly interviewed at Adum, the commercial area of Kumasi , Kejetia, in commercial vehicles, Roman Hill, Bantama, Manhyia and in and around the metropolis. The only question asked was: “Who is likely to get the mandate to lead NPP if the party went to Congress today?”

Most of the party executives who matter and delegates who did not want named, have assured the former flagbearer of their votes to enable him lead the party resulting in the former Abuakwa South legislator polling 107 against 49 by Alan Kyerematen. While Alan fans wanted Nana to step down for a new face to take over the mantle of leadership, Nana’s supporters claim he is more popular with the electorate and should improve upon the 49 plus percent votes. Ghana’s former Envoy to the United Kingdom, Honourable Isaac Osei , who his admirers say is a unifier and the hope of the youth, trailed Alan Cash closely with 44 points.

While 30 persons would not answer the question, 11 voted for Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng with the Kumasi based private legal practitioner, lawyer John Kwame Koduah polling 9.

The choice of Nana Addo, according to those who were forthright with their answers, is explained in the fact that Nana has already marketed himself and the party and should be given the chance to lead the party to victory in 2012. In settling on Nana’s candidature, they had counted on his (Nana) active contribution to the growth of the party since 1992. Mr. C. C Addai, a founding member of the NPP strongly believes that Nana Addo is going to win should the election of the flagbearer of the party be conducted now since he was more popular to the party faithful than the other flagbearership hopefuls.

He also stated that during the last elections Nana Addo polled 49.77% of votes and needed little more in order to not only to become the flagbearer of the party but also the president of Ghana.

He said rooting for Nana did not mean he as a founding member loved Nana More but considered Nana as the man of the moment to lead the party . Mr. Peter Oteng, a former aspirant of the Ashanti Regional Youth Organizer stated that Nana Addo was the right person for the flagbearership position of the party and believed should the election be conducted now, Nana Addo was going to win. One Madam Cecilia Apomasu, a trader at the Kejetia bus terminal said she would bet her last pesewa on Nana and was more than 100% sure that Nana would win the election if it was held today.

One Maxwell Agyapong, a phone dealer at Adum who claimed he was a true sympathizer of Mr. Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen and wanted him to win the nod to lead the NPP for victory in 2012 stated significantly that if the election took place now he feared Nana Addo might win.

Mr. Osei Kwame, a phone card dealer at Adum believed that Hon. Isaac Osei, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Subin constituency must be given a chance to lead the party but was also of the conviction that should the elections be conducted now, Nana was likely to win. The candidature of the 66-year-old former Foreign Affairs minister in the Kufuor administration has got a further boost with the open endorsement by Hon. Dan Kwaku Botwe, MP for Okere, Hon. Kwasi Ameyaw Kyeremeh, MP for Sunyani as well as Dr. Ghyesika Agambilla, former NPP Deputy Minister of State. Last Monday, Mr. David Oppon-Kusi, Member of Parliament (MP) for Ofoase-Ayirebi, declared his support to Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to lead the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the 2012 general election.

"I will vote for Nana Akufo-Addo to become presidential candidate of our party because he has the experience and all that it takes to be president," he said. Mr. Oppon-Kusi made the declaration at Akyem Ofoase where Nana Akufo-Addo outlined his vision to party supporters and delegates last Monday and solicited their votes to enable him to win the August 7 primaries.