Accra, Dec.15, GNA - The Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) on Monday announced that it has declared its support for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Presidential candidate, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for the December 28 Presidential run-off.

The party maintained that it is not in alliance with the NPP or in any merger. "We still remain an independent political party, and will continue to remain as such".

Mr. Bede Ziedeng, General Secretary of the DFP speaking at a Press Conference in Accra said the party's decision to support the NPP was to enable Nana Akufo-Addo win the presidency to ensure the continuity of the tranquil political environment that the country was enjoying. He said the party arrived at this decision after the National Executive Committee (NEC), in consultation with the regions and views expressed by its grassroots members, supporters and sympathizers at its meeting on December 14, 2008 at the Party Headquarters in Accra. He said the DFP was born as a political party whilst the NPP was in government. The political climate created by the NPP administration has been congenial enough to allow for the steady growth and development of the party.

He said many of the executive members of the DFP had NDC background and as such any decision to support Prof. Atta Mills would only go to credit the long standing perception that the DFP was set up to hoodwink Ghanaians as an independent political party to shore up the fortunes of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Mr Ziedeng also said from the country's political past, the DFP feels the NPP has a more enviable human rights record and as such the party naturally supports a movement towards a freer political environment in which individual and group's rights are respected and treasured.

"The DFP can thus be sure of its survival, growth and development under Nana Akufo-Addo administration. This guarantee we do not want to trade off."

He said the DFP has as one of its core policies, contained in its manifesto, the launch of a Green Revolution, and one of the key components of t he envisaged agricultural revolution was the provision of subsidises. He said the out-going Kufuor administration initiated the provision of fertilizer subsidies this year, even though it is not far-reaching as one would have expected, they believed that it would be easier to negotiate a fuller implementation of this programme under an arrangement in which they are part of Nana Akufo-Addo's bid for the presidency.

He further said the DFP strongly feels that the NPP administration has made the necessary effort to put the economy on a keel that has yielded the needed result, despite numerous external shocks. He said it is a matter of greater national interest that the party supports a candidate that will most likely continue to improve on the country's economic performance and maintain the goodwill it enjoys. Meanwhile, Dr. Obed Yao Asamoah, a Patron of the DFP in a personal testimony made available to the media has asked Ghanaians to rise above personal gains or interests, ethnic and ideological allegiance to express his conscience as to whom he believes will exercise power responsibly and with magnanimity.

He said knowing the candidates involved and the forces that drive or influence them he feels that Nana Akuffo-Addo could better withstand the strains of office to provide better quality service for the nation in terms of better development agenda, promotion of human rights and freedoms and rule of law, greater tolerance, gratitude and capacity to stand for what he believes in.

He said this endorsement of the NPP Presidential candidate was not intended to overlook the shortcomings of the NPP administration but to appreciate the qualities of Nana Akuffo-Addo as a Presidential candidate.

He said, while the country stood a better chance of good governance under Nana Akuffo-Addo he would have to demonstrate a real commitment to zero tolerance for corruption and greed, a commitment to helping farmers by way of subsidies and adoption of people oriented policies. 15 Dec. 2008