General News of Saturday, 21 July 2012

Source: The Herald

Empty Chairs & Canopies Greet Nana Addo

When Nana Akufo-Addo, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer for the December 7 polls, went to the Central Region in line with his campaign tour, christened ”Restoring Hope”, news came that people were falling over one another to catch a glimpse of him, but this has turned out not to be so accurate.

Some photographs received by The Herald on the campaign, showed that at some places, Nana Addo was greeted by empty chairs and canopies.

As shown in the picture, The Herald learnt from campaign insiders that at certain places, Nana Addo ended up addressing his entourage as the opinion leaders of the villages and towns, who had gather to hear him speak, were in far outnumbered by his entourage which included selected journalists from Accra.

At places where people came out, they were kids who are very far away from the voting age of 18; their parents had left for their farms, market and others places to work and put food on the table. Some adult voters who were at home, also deliberately refused to come out and hear him speak.

A member of the campaign team told The Herald that Nana Addo was now feeling the heat of a presidential campaign unlike the 2008 electioneering year where he had everything done for him by ex-President Kufuor.

“There was so much cash to blow and musicians could be called at anytime of the day for a carnival cloaked in an NPP Rally”, he told The Herald.

He lamented how “Daddy Lumba, Wutta and A-plus made fortune from that concert party campaign”.