Old Soldier Never Dies

By 2016 when the next general will due, Nana Addo-Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the defeated 2012 New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer would be 72 years of age. His joint may refuse to carry him along tedious political campaigning and his teeth may refuse to grind the ordinary-man’s kofi-brokeman (roast plantain and groundnut) as he used to do for votes appeal. Nana, in his own wisdom realized this after his final defeat at the Supreme Court.

However, some New Patriotic Party youth groups in the Northern Region have started waging relentless campaign of ‘repeat Nana Bawumia NPP Ticket’ as they lobby for a Nana Akufo-Addo-Mahamudu Bawumia ticket the 2016 presidential election.

Mr. William Addo-Dankwa Akufo-Addo, told his supporters and audience on Thursday 29 August after the verdict that he will like to the back-seat from active politics, knowing clearly and medically what was going on in his biceps’ bone, knee-joint and jaw’s wisdom teeth.

“I intend to take some time out of the hurly burly of politics, get some rest, reflect and then announce whatever decision I come out with in the not too distant future”.

Meanwhile, the outgoing NPP General Secretary, Lawyer Kwadwo Owusu-Afriyie popularly known as Sir John, has waded into the issue.

He was heard revealing on radio that, Nana Akufo-Addo will still contest the 2016 general elections as the flagbearer of the NPP.

“He (Akufo Addo) is also going to win the presidential seat for the first time as flagbearer of the party to the glory of God”, Sir John told Hello FM's King Edward.

Lawyer Owusu-Afriyie rebuffed claims, especially, from pollster Ben Ephson (who has suggested that Nana Addo should retire from active politics), saying, ‘it is not yet time for Nana Akufo Addo to retire’.

“There are presidents like current Zimbabwe's Robert Mogabe, Ivory Coast's Alassane Outarra and current ninth state president of Israel Shimon Peres who are all above 70 years…nothing forbids Nana Addo from contesting the 2016 general elections” Sir john added.

Meanwhile, the National Executive Council (NEC) of the NPP are also preparing for their various polling station, constituency, regional and national elections to vote for new executives for the party. It has, however been the NPP party constitutional wish that twice-failed presidential candidates become rotten cassava and must not be field again.

It could, however, be recalled that after Professor Albert Kwadwo Adu-Boahen had respected the party constitution and gave way for John Agyekum Kufuor, after beaten by Fl Lt Jerry John Rawlings, Kufuor insisted contesting again.

Interestingly, the lobbying began barely three days after the Supreme Court had dismissed the presidential election petition put before it challenging the results of the 2012 elections.

The court affirmed John Mahama as validly-elected in the December 2012 poll. 

The verdict, in many ways appeared to have prolonged the presidential ambitions of the New Patriotic Party flagbearer who is now 69 and will be 72 in 2016, the year for Ghana's next election.

In his acceptance of the Supreme Court verdict last Thursday, Nana Akufo-Addo said he was taking some time off politics and will soon announce his plans about his political future in due course.

Many political writers had already predicted that Nana Akufo-Addo and his two party colleagues; Mahamudu Bawumia and Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey aught not send the 2012 presidential election to court in the first place – and the trio might be scheming to re-impose themselves on the party, hence their resort to the court, which petition had eventually been thrown out, Thursday.

Even before that decision will be made public, the NPP youth groups in Tamale have conducted a poll, with majority of them pushing for the Nana Addo and Bawumia ticket to be retained for the 2016 elections.

Spokesperson for one of the youth groups, Mohammed Amin told Citi News without the Nana-Addo-Bawumia ticket, the party risks losing the 2016 elections.

He argued the constitution of the NPP does not bar, Nana Akufo-Addo, who has lost two presidential elections - 2008 and 2012 - from contesting for the third time on the party's ticket.

According to the youth leader, the former Foreign Minister is the most popular political figure in Ghana and on the African continent and must be given another opportunity to contest.

Amin insisted that despite the age of the NPP stalwart, he is still the best shot for the position of president in 2016.

Another, youth group, Kandaha boys is also convinced the NPP presidential ticket must be retained because it's a well marketed and trusted team.

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