Winneba (C/R), April 25, GNA - A large number of New Patriotic Party (NPP) supporters and activists on Friday at Awutu Beraku and Winneba in the Central Region, gave a rousing welcome to Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, an aspirant of the party's flagbearership. Constituency officers, council of elders and polling station executives from the two districts were also present to welcome Nana Akufo-Addo.

Come August 7 this year, the party would hold a national congress to elect the flagbearer who would lead the party in the 2012 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections.

Addressing the supporters at separate meetings at Awutu Beraku and Winneba, Nana Akufo-Addo expressed appreciation to voters for the massive votes he got in the 2008 Presidential Election.

He said the 49.13 per cent he received in the 2008 election did not help him to win the presidential position and therefore appealed to them to renew his mandate as Presidential Candidate in the forthcoming primaries. Nana Akufo-Addo also asked supporters to vote for him massively after he had won the flagbearership, in order to become the next President of Ghana in 2012.

He called for unity among party members saying it was only through that that victory could be theirs in the 2012 elections.

Nana Akufo-Addo said the economic situation in the country currently had worsened and indicated that when voted into office he would address that. Mr Kennedy Agyapong, Member of Parliament for Assin North attributed the defeat of the NPP to internal wrangling and personal interest on the part of some members of Parliament, District Chief Executives, Ministers, national, regional and constituency executives under President Kufuor administration. Others speakers at the meetings were Mr Kwamina Bartels, former Minister of Interior, Mr Yaw Osafo Marfo, former Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Mr Isaac Asiamah, MP for Atwima Mponua, Mr Haruna Esseku, former National Chairman of NPP, Mr Dominic Nitiwu, MP for Bimbila and Madam Ussela Owusu, NPP member.