NANA WEEPS AT KYEBI

-As he recalls J B Danquah's sufferings

The Kyebi township in the Abuakwa South constituency was Wednesday thrown into a frenzy of excitement when Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic Party and MP for the area, stormed the constituency to round off his nation-wide comprehensive campaign tour in his bid to ascend the nation's presidency on January 7, 2009.

The scene was reminiscent of the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, as the thousands of enthusiastic party supporters and sympathisers who welcomed Nana Akufo-Addo at the outskirt of the town led his convoy, amidst singing and dancing, though the principal streets of the town to the grounds in front of the Ofori Panin Fie where the Presidential Candidate addressed a mammoth rally that attracted a record high number of people.

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Before addressing the rally, the Presidential Candidate paid a courtesy call on the Okyehene, Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin, to seek his blessing and support to enable him accomplish his dream of becoming the President of the nation, to actualise the vision the late J B Danquah, the doyen of Ghana ’s politics, he had for the nation.

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He paid a glowing tribute the late J B Danquah for the love he had for the nation and the role he played in the independence struggle. While recalling the sufferings his grandpa had to endure in the hands of people who did not share the values he espoused, Nana Akufo-Addo was so much consumed with passion that he was visibly seen shedding tears.

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The mood of the Presidential Candidate was so touchy that it cut ice on the gathering at the palace, including the King and his elders as well as the NPP bigwigs that accompanied him, who looked on pensively as Nana Akufo-Addo wiped out his tears with his handkerchief.

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Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin commended Nana Akufo-Addo for the gallant role in played in the fight for restoration of democracy in the country, recalling how the NPP Presidential Candidate fought for the rights and liberties of those who were oppressed and abused in the dark days of brutalities where many Ghanaians had been cowed into silence and inaction.

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The Okyehene described Nana Akufo-Addo as an epitome of the values espoused by J B Danquah, adding that it was, therefore, not by accident that he was close to ascending the nation’s presidency, to actualise the vision his late grandpa had for the nation.

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He commended the Presidential Candidate for serving the nation in truth and honesty, and urged others to follow his examples, adding that no one can lay any claim of corruption against him.

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Later addressing his constituents, the MP for Abuakwa South and NPP Presidential Candidate called on the people in the area to support him to win the December elections.

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He told the gathering that his campaign tour across the nation had convinced him that Ghanaians want him to be the next President of the nation after the exit of President Kufuor.

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“Wherever I have been, the people have indicated their strong desire to have me as the next President, and I expect you as my constituents to be my worthy ambassadors who will show the way for others to follow. You need to behave well to attract more people to support me to win the elections,” he charged the excited gathering.

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Nana Akufo-Addo assured the people that he was poised to build on the solid foundation laid by President Kufuor to move the nation’s development agenda to a higher pedestal to ensure a marked improvement in the socio-economic conditions of the citizenry.

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“The time has come for the nation to achieve greatness in our development agenda. Let us prepare for the great future of hope that lies ahead of us, and I want to assure you that I am well-positioned to provide the kind of leadership that will accelerate the pace of our development, to bring about progress and prosperity for all. I only need your absolute support to make that dream a reality,” he stated to a tumultuous applause from the crowd.

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While assuring his constituents of their fair share of the national cake under his presidency, Nana Akufo-Addo, apparently conscious of the great expectation of the people from a government headed by him, told the gathering: “I need your help to win the elections, but you must know I am not going to be a President for Kyebi alone, but for the entire nation.”

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He used the occasion to introduce Atta Akyea as the party’s parliamentary candidate for the Abuakwa South constituency. The legal practitioner trained by Nana Akufo-Addo faces absolutely no difficulty in his determination to succeed his mentor as the next MP for the constituency.

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He, however, faces the biggest challenge of working to meet the great expectation from not only his constituents but the entire nation following the big shoes he is stepping into and for the fact that the next President will be among his constituents.

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Other party stalwarts, including Boakye Agyarko, a former presidential aspirant, Lord Commey, National Organiser of the party, Yaw Amoabeng Gyekye, Eastern Regional Chairman of the party, and Kwadwo Affram Asiedu, Eastern Regional Minister, took turns to address the gathering.