General News of Monday, 2 September 2013

Source: Isaac Owusu/Hello FM

Akufo-Addo to contest 2016 elections - Sir John

After conceding defeat following the ruling of the Supreme Court on the election petition, first petitioner, Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo stated his intention to take some time out of the hurly burly of politics, get some rest, “reflect and then announce whatever decision" he comes out with in the not too distant future”.

However, General Secretary of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Lawyer Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie popularly known as Sir John, has revealed that Nana Akufo-Addo, the 2012 flagbearer of the NPP, will contest the 2016 general elections as the flagbearer of the party.

“He (Akufo-Addo) is also going to win the presidential seat for the first time as flagbearer of the party to the glory of God”, he told Hello FM's King Edward.

Lawyer Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie also rebuffed claims, especially from pollster Ben Ephson, who suggested that Nana Addo should retire from active politics, saying, ‘it is not yet time for Nana Akufo-Addo to retire’.

“There are presidents like current Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe, Ivory Coast's Alassane Outarra and current ninth state president of Israel, Shimon Peres, who are all above 70 years…nothing forbids Nana Addo from contesting the 2016 general elections” Sir john added.

Meanwhile, the National Executive Council (NEC) of the NPP are also preparing for their various polling station, constituency, regional and national elections to vote for new executives of the party.