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NPP selects Akufo-Addo as flagbearer
Accra, Dec. 23, Ghanadot/GNA -
President John Agyekum Kufuor on Sunday congratulated Nana
Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the newly elected flagbearer of the
New Patriotic Party (NPP) for Election 2008 and described
him as the man of the moment.
"Since the 1960s congress has never failed to elect the man
of the moment to lead our great tradition into election and
this year again congress has chosen someone who is obviously
the man of the moment," he said.
President Kufuor made the declaration at the just ended
National Delegates Congress of the NPP, which was under the
theme 'Uniting for Victory'.
The curtain was brought down on congress at exactly 10.41
hours on Sunday after about 40 hours of addresses, voting,
vote counting and results declaration flavoured with a pinch
of confusion.
After the first round Nana Akufo-Addo, affectionately called
Nana, emerged winner with 1,096 votes, representing 47.96
per cent of the 2,285 valid votes cast.
Even though he fell short of the constitutionally mandated
more than 50 per cent votes necessary to become a flagbearer,
his closest contender, John Alan Kyeremanten, who polled 738
votes (32.3 per cent) conceded defeat and pledged his
support to Nana.
An official of the Electoral Commission said Alan's should
have stepped down instead of conceding defeat, adding that
the delegates could also have passed a resolution to amend
the portion of the party's constitution which mandated the
more than 50 per cent, to declare Nana Akufo-Addo the
flagbearer.
Others have called on NPP stalwarts to test Mr Kyeremanten's
concession, vis-à-vis the constitutional mandate of the
party in the law courts.
Meanwhile, President Kufuor also congratulated Mr
Kyeremanten for conceding defeat to the obvious man of the
moment, saying that there was no need hitting ones head
against the brick wall when it was obvious that one was
fighting a losing battle.
"You have demonstrated that you are a true sportsman," he
told Alan Cash.
He noted that Nana's pedigree as a party man was
unquestionable, adding that his whole life experience was as
if he was being prepared for such a day as this.
His family, his education, political affiliation all go to
tell that he is truly destined for this position - he is
related to as many as three of the members of the Big Six -
J. B. Danquah was his granduncle, Edward Akufo-Addo was his
father and William Ofori-Atta was his uncle, President
Kufuor said.
President Kufuor raised Nana's hands as a sign of passing on
the baton of flagbearership to him and expressed the hope
that he would also have the opportunity to pass on the
presidential sword to him in 2009 to succeed him as the next
president of Ghana.
All the other 16 contestants pledged their support for Nana
Akufo-Addo in Election 2008.
Nana Akufo-Addo expressed gratitude to the contestants,
especially Alan Cash for giving him a good run for his
money. He told Alan; "you will be president after me".
He said in the same manner that they had worked together
under President Kufuor's administration, he would continue
to work with each of them to win power in 2008 and to
continue with the unfinished agenda of the Kufuor
Government.
Nana Akufo-Addo sent a note of warning to the NDC that he
was coming at them with the power of his 16 other colleagues
to beat the NDC decisively in 2008, but pledged that his
campaign would be devoid of vilification, vindictiveness,
false accusations insults and would expect the same from all
the parties.
GNA
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