Posted: Daily Guide |Monday, 09 August 2010
By Charles Takyi-Boadu
The re-elected Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has said he is more than ready to deliver Ghanaians from the hands of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Nana Akufo-Addo therefore sent a note of caution to the NDC to start preparing their handing-over notes before the 2012 elections, since he could not afford to disappoint Ghanaians this time around, with the authority vested in him as flagbearer of the NPP.
Speaking before thousands of supporters who had gathered at the Efua Sutherland Children’s Park in Accra where he was declared winner of the NPP presidential race, Nana Addo said the confidence reposed in him gave him a strong platform for the ultimate battle ahead.
Describing it as the greatest moment in his political history, he hoped to go into the 2012 election with the strong record of the Kufuor presidency.
Nana Addo stressed his determination to lead an efficient campaign machinery to deliver what he described as ‘the crucial victory’ in 2012.
This, he hoped to do by first uniting the rank and file of the party, since, in his words, “we need each and everyone on board and I pledge to work with all my heart and soul to achieve this”.
He indicated his preparedness to work out a programme with the national executives of the NPP to foster unity across all sections of the party, noting with emphasis:
“The majority of the people have had their say but the whole family must lead the way to the victory we seek in 2012.”
He believed the efficiency with which the party, under the leadership of Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, organized the election, which is considered a novelty on the entire continent of Africa, under five months, was an indication that “we will indeed build an efficient, energetic political machine to drive us to victory in 2012”.
With this election, Nana Addo believed that the Danquah-Dombo-Busia tradition which metamorphosed into the modern-day NPP, had established a strong template for defining the modern contours of multi-party democracy in Africa.
“This is a victory for a brighter, prosperous future where the young men and women of our nation can live dignified, purposeful, fulfilling lives”, was how he put it.
“An opportunity has been presented to us for a clear total direction of our beloved Ghana. The dream of the founders of our tradition to build a thriving democracy and a strong market economy in our country which will deliver prosperity for the broad masses of our people under the rule of law, respect for human rights and the principles of democratic accountability, is still very much alive”, he noted.
The flag bearer of the NPP therefore called on not only members of the party, but Ghanaians in general, to join him in making this dream a reality, adding, “Let us continue to believe in Ghana.”