Losing aspirants throw support behind Nana Akufo-Addo

Accra, March 13, GNA - Losing Presidential aspirants of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) on Thursday rallied their support for Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, NPP presidential candidate, when he inaugurated his 23-member campaign team to help him win the December 2008 general elections.

The party faithful cheered the losing candidates and they shook hands with each other as they arrived at the party headquarters in Accra.

An individual who stole the show was Sheikh I. C. Quaye, Greater Accra Regional Minister, who chanted his popular slogan "Naa Nana naa shaw, eh!!! Naa Nana na shaw, agbenaa" (See Nana, see the elephant, it is over).

Hundreds of party faithful who gathered at the NPP headquarters struggled to catch a glimpse of Nana Akufo-Addo.

They stood up and chanted "Nana nie!! Osunu nie!! Yenim wo fri tete, eshie rado!! rado!!". (Here is Nana, here is the elephant. We have known you for a long time ago). Nkrabia Effa Dartey also had his turn and sang his popular song

"Matwen Awuradze anim" to commence the programme.

Among those present were Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama, Ministers of State, Members of Parliament, Regional Chairmen, Mr Stanley Nii Adjiri-Blankson, Metropolitan Chief Executive Officer of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly and party foot soldiers.

Mr Peter Mac Manu, NPP National Chairman, in his remarks, said the NPP had confidence in the competence and fairness of the Electoral Commission (EC) because it had gained international recognition for conducting transparent elections.

"We do acknowledge that the EC, as a human institution, is bound to occasionally encounter errors or lapses, but such errors must not be given sinister interpretation that might degenerate into any nasty situation in the country. We condemn any attempt to undermine the EC by any individual or group."

Mr Mac Manu said the NPP would not allow anybody to use unauthentic excuse to create unwarranted tension in the 2008 parliamentary and presidential election.

"We have also taken note of the fact that leaders of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) have started a campaign of accusing the NPP of setting out to rig the election.

"The NPP has no doubt that the NDC has prepared a game plan whereby they intend to discredit and demonize the EC by feeding lies to the public.

He said the NPP rejected that type political campaigning which had the potential of introducing civil conflict into the country and urged Ghanaians to shun such practice.

Mr Mac Manu said the party was convinced that President John Agyekum Kufuor would hand to Nana Akufo-Addo come January 7, 2009. He said to make this assurance come to pass the NPP had put together a formidable campaign team to plan and execute their strategies.