The former defense minister, Dr. Kwame Addo Kufuor has stated that the 2008 elections will be fought and won on issues but not on the beating of war drums as the NDC flagbearer, Prof. Atta Mills is trying to tell Ghanaians. According to him it was wrong for Prof. Mills to begin his campaign with the beating of war drums, which would not help anybody in the country.

Dr. Addo Kufuor noted that Ghana was a peaceful country in the hands of God and that no amount of threats on the part of the opposition would scare Ghanaians. “Ghana is a peaceful country that belongs to God and so nobody can do anything to disturb our peace”, Dr. Addo Kufuor pointed out.

According to the former Ghana Medical Association president, Ghanaian voters would give their votes to political parties based on their track records. “NPP is the best party for Ghana because president Kufuor has laid the foundation for the party and therefore the elections will be won on track record”, he charged.

Dr. Kwame Addo Kufuor was speaking at a rally organized at Tarkwa yesterday to welcome the New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer, Nana Addo Danquah Akufo Addo to the Western region. The flagbearer was in the region to show appreciation to delegates for electing him as the leader of the party.

Meanwhile, Ernest Kofi Adu & Issah Alhassan report from Kumasi that Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the flagbearer of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), has assured his party’s supporters that he is poised to deliver a resounding victory for the party and take over from President Kufuor.

According to him, he would do what the National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate, Prof. J. E. A Mills could not do in the 2000 general elections for his party when he allowed political power to slip through his hands as an incumbent government at the time.

The NPP presidential candidate expressed these sentiments at a ceremony in Kumasi to convey his gratitude to delegates who attended the last congress that elected him. He indicated that he would make history in the country when sitting president from the ruling NPP in the person of President J. A. Kufuor hands over power to another NPP man who would be called “President Nana Akufo-Addo” after the December 7 general elections.

He called on all members of the party to bury their differences as the party’s presidential election had ended and forge ahead in unity to fight a common political opponent, the opposition NDC. The former Foreign Affairs Minister and MP for Akim-Abuakwa South Constituency reiterated his commitment to the solemn pledge of establishing a healthy relationship between the government and the party.

According to him, there would be a taskforce to formulate guidelines for government-party relationship to ensure that no gap was left unattended to, further promising to inject resources into party activities even at the constituency level.

The Party gave a true meaning to its pride as the political party with an entrenched internal democracy when all the front-runners in the just ended presidential race joined Nana Akufo-Addo in his victory tour to the garden city.

Prior to the party’s historic congress, many people including the adversaries of the ruling party predicted that the party could split up considering the number of candidates who were contesting for the flagbearership position.

However, all the presidential aspirants with the exception of the vice-President, His Excellency Aliu Mahama, Mr.Boakye Agyarko, Prof. Frimpong Boateng and Felix Owusu Agyapong, accompanied the victor to the Centre For National Culture in Kumasi, where a thanksgiving durbar was held in honour of the elected flagbearer to show appreciation to delegates and all NPP supporters in the region who in one way or the other ensured his successful election.

Nana Akufo-Addo’s closest rival, Mr. Alan Kyerematen who the former admits gave him a good run for his money together with other strong contenders like Mr. Yaw Osafo-Marfo, Dan Botwe, Prof. Mike Oquaye and Dr.Kwame Addo Kufuor were all present to give moral support to the elected flagbearer who is currently on a nationwide thanksgiving tour.

The demonstration of unity by the members of the ruling party was however sending early signals to the opponents of the party of its preparedness to make history by retaining the seat for the third consecutive time as all the defeated aspirants have pledged to work hand- in-hand with the party’s presidential candidate to ensure victory, come December, 2008.

The NPP Presidential candidate whose entry into the region could be described as a triumphant one was first met on arrival at Kodie in the Kwabre West District of the Ashanti Region by the Ashanti Regional minister and his deputy, Messrs. Emmanuel Owusu-Ansah and Osei Assibey Antwi from where the flagbearer stormed the garden city with a fleet of cars and acknowledged cheers from the numerous party supporters who had lined up along the road to welcome him.

Addressing party supporters, Nana Akufo-Addo stressed the need for unity in the party as it prepares to confront its opponents in this year’s general elections.

He noted that in unity lies strength and victory and that with the solid foundation laid by the President Kufuor-led Administration, no party could challenge the NPP if it stays united for the battle.

Nana Addo therefore appealed to the public to patronize the voters’ registration exercise when it is opened in March this year to ensure that they were enfranchised for the election. He, however, explained the reasons behind his early visit to the Asantehene’s palace, stressing that as a descendant of the Oyoko clan, he felt it was traditionally right to pay early homage to Manhyia, which is the head of the Oyoko family.

The flagbearer further intimated that the visit was also to show appreciation to the Asantehene for the advice he offered him when he declared his intention to contest for the position.