The 2012 Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Akufo-Addo, last Friday, joined thousands of Tijaniyya Muslim faithful across West Africa to celebrate their annual Maulid Festival. The three-day festival is held annually in Prang in the Brong Ahafo Region, to commemorate the birth of Shaykh Ahmad Tijani, founder of the Tijaniyya Muslim Sufi Movement and also to pray for Allah’s blessings for the year.

Nana Addo who joined members of the group in the Friday prayers, used the occasion to call for peaceful elections in the upcoming 2012 polls. He said “later this year, the people of Ghana will go to the polls again to elect a president and I appeal humbly to Shaykh Khalifa to lead all of us to pray for the elections to be peaceful.”

He also asked for prayers for Allah to touch the hearts of those responsible for overseeing the elections to be able to do the right thing to ensure that the elections will be peaceful, transparent, free and fair. My third prayer appeal is that you pray for me, your son Nana Akufo-Addo, that Allah will give me the strength and wisdom to be able to do the work, when Insha Allah I become victorious in the 2012 polls.”

Nana Addo continued that he remains committed to the policy of free Senior High School education for all school children as well as his industrialisation programme to help create jobs for all.

He said reducing drastically the illiteracy rate in Ghana is crucial in the fight against poverty and that is why he has made providing free Senior High School education a top priority if Allah willing and the Ghanaian people so consenting, he becomes president.

He thanked Shaykh Khalifa for the opportunity to address the group, adding that “I joined you last year in celebrating your festival and I have come back this year and I want to assure you that when I become president, next year I will come back and celebrate with you.”

The Spiritual Head of the Tijaniyya Muslim Council of Ghana, Shaykh Khalifa Faidi Maikano Jalo thanked Nana Addo and his delegation for coming over to join them in their celebration.

He called on members of the group to use the occasion to ask for forgiveness of sins from Allah, praise Allah for His mercies and protection and also praise the Prophet Muhammad.

He prayed for peace and togetherness to continue to prevail in Ghana so that the country’s leaders can have the needed space and peace of mind to run the affairs of the country.