The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has urged Ghanaians to reject the perennial presidential candidate of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama.
According to the President, the NDC presidential candidate, if elected again, would destroy what his government had built since he (Mahama) does not appreciate his good works.
Therefore, the two-term president, Akufo-Addo, cannot relinquish the reigns to the man who was rejected after one term in office.
President Akufo-Addo said this on Tuesday, May 7, 2024 at Doboro, near Nsawam, when he toured Blue Skies Ghana, a fruit juice manufacturing company.
The President was addressing staff of the company, as well as outgrowers, who supply the raw materials for the juice and some NPP sympathisers who were in party t-shirts.
“Your vote is your power in Ghana. And when the time comes, the work is simple and not difficult. I cannot have the person I unseated, who does not appreciate what I have done, take over from me. He will destroy everything I have done,” he said in Twi.
The President then announced to the gathering that he had absolute confidence in his vice, Dr. Bawumia, whom he had worked with for seven and a half years and that he could do the job.
He pleaded with Ghanaians to vote for Dr. Bawumia to succeed him, to build on the legacy his government had already achieved.
JABS
This is not the first time President Akufo-Addo has openly declared that Mahama should not be the one to succeed him.
President Akufo-Addo, while in Wa recently to commission the newly installed solar panels, said at the Wa Naa palace, that he had defeated John Mahama twice and insinuated that it was not right for him to come back.
OBSERVATION
Taking on the perennial presidential candidate of the NDC, John Mahama, by President Akufo-Addo, appears to be something the opposition party would have to deal with.
A trend is developing where President Akufo-Addo pokes his former direct political opponent at the least opportunity.
Should the trend continue, Akufo-Addo would become a distraction to John Mahama in his political campaigning. Mahama, on the other hand, would have the two to deal with.
CAMPAIGN
Meanwhile, the Vice President, who is the Presidential Candidate of the NPP, Dr. Bawumia, is on the ground campaigning.
He has already toured the Western and Western North Regions, and yesterday he was in the Ahafo region where he interacted with chiefs and people, visited some voter registration centres, and held a town hall meeting to connect with the youth.
REGISTRATION
President Akufo-Addo, who put aside his prepared speech, encouraged Ghanaians to take part in the exercise, arguing that their vote is their power.
“You know we are going to vote this year. And the registration has commenced. I urge all those who have not registered and are eligible to register to do so,” he said in the Akan language, throughout his brief address.
The Electoral Commission has commenced the limited voter registration exercise for first-time voters and individuals who do not have a voter card.
The exercise, which started on Tuesday, May 7, 2024 from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day, will take 21 days, ending on May 27, 2024. The EC has projected to register 623,000 new voters.
