Akufo-Addo urges party members to build a unity and oneness

Bolgatanga, Jan. 15, Ghanadot/GNA - Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the just ended general election, on Thursday urged members of the party to build a culture of unity and oneness to enable the party come back to power in 2012.

He made the call in Bolgatanga when he visited the area to express his thanks to party supporters and the electorate who cast their votes for the party during the December elections.

He emphasized that with unity and oneness no political party could dislodge the NPP, and that it was the lack of such commitment that made the party lose the election.

He urged party members and supporters not to allow their opponents to exploit that to their advantage.

Nana Akufo-Addo expressed the optimism that the NPP would win the 2012 election saying; "I have the fullest belief that the NPP would come back to power in the next election if only we remain united in one front to fight the common opponent."

Nana Akufo-Addo explained that the NPP, in its manifesto had the best national programmes for the country, which would have helped improve upon the foundation President John Kofuor laid down.

He indicated that it was not yet over since there was another election coming in 2012 and asked members not to relent in their efforts but to continue to worker harder for the party.

He stated that the party had identified its setbacks and would work towards addressing them to come to power again.

He impressed upon members of the party to solve any problems that arise within the party internally as one family.

He commended the electorate and party supporters for increasing the party seats in the region from two to four. The NPP won the Chiana-Paga, Bawku Central, Binduri and the Navrongo Central seats in the Parliamentary poll.

Mr. Jake Obetchebi Lamptey, campaign manager of the party, explained that it was better to be in power whilst fighting than to be out of power and asked members of the party to burry their differences and move forward.

He explained that Ghanaians would be able to judge the current administration and as time goes on would compare and examine the difference for themselves.

He also expressed the optimism that Ghanaians would vote the NPP back to power in the next election.
Mr. Yaw Osafo Marfo, a former Finance Minister under the NPP Administration, alleged that the election was not conducted in a fair and transparent manner and said most of the NPP party agents who were supposed to monitor the exercise were sacked and beaten up, while some lost their lives in the Volta Region.

He said under the constitution it was the responsibility of the Electoral Commission to ensure that the election was conducted in an atmosphere of fairness and transparency, which it failed to do.

He recounted that a similar situation happened in the 1996, 2000 and 2006 elections, and stressed that the NPP would not sit down and allow such a thing to happen in the 2012 election.

Mr. Marfo said the NPP would also change the party's constitution in the area of constituency election to ensure that the party presents more competent and marketable candidates for the parliamentary election in 2012.

"Though we have lost the election, we shall be back since the margin of the election between the NDC and NPP was not significant", declared.

GNA