General News of Tuesday, 24 December 2013

Source: peacefmonline.com

Akufo-Addo is “man of the year” 2013 – Kweku Baako

Editor-In-Chief of the New Crusading Guide, Abdul Kweku Baako Jnr., has acclaimed the 2012 Presidential candidate of the opposition New Patriotic Party, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, as the "man of the year."

According to him, Nana Addo deserves a prestigious "international peace award" for what he believed is a "great favour" he did Ghanaians for ensuring peace in the country.

Alluding to his major feat in August this year when the nine-member panel sitting on the NPP Presidential election petition delivered their verdict, Kweku Baako hailed Nana Addo for accepting the outcome of the court ruling in good faith.

In August this year, Ghana marked a historic moment when nine Justices of the Supreme Court sitting on the Presidential election petition filed by NPP leaders, including Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, his Running mate Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and the party' Chair, Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey against the Electoral Commission, gave their final verdict on the case.

The case, which lasted for nearly eight months, saw President John Dramani Mahama being declared as "validly elected" Head of State, following the petitioners' quest to overturn his legitimacy after discovering some lapses in the 2012 general elections.

The 2012 Presidential candidate of the NPP and first petitioner in the case told journalists at the Supreme Court minutes after the verdict was pronounced though he “disagrees” with the verdict he “will not ask for a review so we can all move on”.

Nana Akufo-Addo said: “Ghana’s election will never be the same again after this petition” adding that “we have set precedence for generations to follow”.

He urged the two parties to put their differences aside and come together to build Ghana, adding that he had called President John Mahama to congratulate him.

“This is the time for all of us to come together and work together to find solutions…To my party; I say we have a lot to be proud of. Let us wish our president well and thank the almighty…the battle continues to be the Lord’s”, Nana Akufo-Addo noted.

Speaking on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" programme during a discussion on the Year Under Review, the seasoned journalist touted the credentials of the NPP leader saying Nana Addo “did the country a great favour by accepting the outcome of the results graciously.”

He further posited that, he will not be surprised “if a prestigious international peace award is conferred on him (Nana Addo) whether he likes it or not. This is a man who was painted as a man of violence. Some people intentionally painted him as a man of violence and wrapped him with the mantra ‘All die be die’, but…he showed that he’s a law-abiding citizen...he offered leadership at a critical moment” and “did this country a great favour by accepting the outcome of the results graciously.”