Nana Akufo-Addo has told members and leaders of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to relegate any internal issues they may have to the backburner and join forces with him to win the 7 December polls saying: “The only politics that you will do and have no issue [with] is in heaven and not on this earth.”

Mr Akufo-Addo said there was a “need” for “cooperation in the party”, urging: “Whatever issue you have, drop it and help us to win power.”

“We understand that cooperation is at the centre of our success. We have a big programme, some of them are very new ideas that will yield to development of the country. These new programmes, if we don’t have a majority in Parliament, will be very difficult. We need to get a clear majority in the House. That is our main target,” the three-time flag bearer told party leaders and supporters in the Ashanti Region on Monday, 5 September after he met the national leadership to strategise for the campaign.

Mr Akufo-Addo has come under criticism from President John Mahama and leaders of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) for the streak of internal furore within the Danwuah-Busia-Dombo party which saw national Chairman Paul Afoko, General Secretary Kwabena Agyapong and Vice Chairman Sammy Crabbe suspended indefinitely late last year. There were also some skirmishes between rival factions at the party’s national headquarters in Accra. Other misunderstandings led to the death of two party members in Upper East and Ashanti regions. Mr Akufo-Addo’s critics, including Mr Mahama have used these incidents to describe him as a “dictator” and a “divisive” leader who does not merit being president of the whole of Ghana if he cannot keep his party united and at peace. Mr Akufo-Addo has, however, parried those accusations and criticisms.

While in the Ashanti Region, he said the NPP will be inching closer to the presidency if the party won at least 80% of votes in the Ashanti Region.

“The polls going on in Ashanti Region are encouraging; but we all know that if we hit 80% of the popular votes in Ashanti, we have one and a half feet in the door of Jubilee House. So I’m begging you, let us make this year 2016 the year of the elephant.”

Meanwhile, the party’s acting national chairman Freddie Blay has told Class News he is confident of a one-go victory for the NPP. He believes the NPP can win a “landslide victory” in its stronghold and a convincing victory in the national polls.

Mr Blay said the NPP will meet the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) boot-for-boot on the battlefield of the elections to ensure the party is not denied victory.