By
Godwill Arthur-Mensah, GNA
Accra, Feb. 20, GNA
– President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo filed his nomination papers to lead the
New Patriotic Party (NPP) to the December General Election with an advice to
members to shun acrimony, which will cause the Party its deserving victory.
In their upcoming
campaign for the Parliamentary Primary, scheduled for April 25, 2020, the
President said bickering and quarrelling would only divide their ranks and rob
them of the unity of purpose required for the national election.
The NPP has already
witnessed some reports of acrimony in a few constituencies over some members
complaining that they were being denied the opportunity to pick nomination
forms, which opened a month ago.
Addressing hundreds
of enthusiastic supporters who turned up at the Party’s Headquarters, in Accra,
to witness the occasion, the President endorsed Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia
as his running mate.
He was the only
presidential aspirant who had filed his nomination papers at the close of
nomination on Thursday, February 20.
He would, therefore,
be acclaimed at as the Party’s flagbearer at a National Congress to be held
simultaneously across the country on April 25, 2020.
The President urged
supporters of the Party to also go out in their numbers to register when the Electoral
Commission open the new biometric registration.
He also urged the
electorate to vote massively for him and the NPP Parliamentary Candidates to
continue with the life-changing policies programmes being implemented by his
government.
“The hope of
Ghanaians lie in the NPP and we cannot afford to disappoint them,” he stated.
President Akufo-Addo
expressed gratitude to all the rank and file of the NPP for the honour in
making him the sole presidential aspirant and promised to work assiduously to
retain power for the Party.
With a great deal of
fanfare, the party faithful positioned themselves to welcome the President, who was accompanied
by Dr Bawumia; the Chief of Staff, Madam Akosua Frema Osei Opare; Minister of
Communications, Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful; NPP National Chairman, Mr Freddy Blay,
Members of Parliament, National and Regional Executives, among others.
President Akufo-Addo
teased Former President Mahama for campaigning for a comeback to continue from
where he had left off, saying he wondered what kind of development the National
Democratic Congress Party’s flagbearer would bring onboard since his previous
administration saw backwardness in every aspect of the national life.
The President said
the nation was moving forward and this could be seen with a number of
innovative programmes and policies his government had implemented over the
period, which was transforming the lives of millions of Ghanaians.
He said former
President Mahama was not revealing anything new in his public engagements, but
rather took pleasure in criticising and condemning every policy and
intervention being rolled by his administration.
The President,
however, acknowledged that there was more room for improvement in his
achievements and gave the assurance to work harder to meet the aspirations of
Ghanaians.
Early on, Mr John
Boadu, the General Secretary of the NPP, told the gathering that the President
had satisfied all the requirements spelt out in the Party’s regulations.
The President paid
GH¢20,000.00 to pick the nomination form and GH¢200,000.00 as filing fees, he
said.
The NPP announced
the opening of nomination for presidential and parliamentary primaries on
January 20, this year.
GNA