2016 presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, says recent utterances by President Dramani Mahama, coupled with his actions and inactions over the last eight years, point to a man who appears to have little understanding of democracy.

According to him, President Dramani Mahama’s comments on Tuesday, November 1, whilst campaigning in Abirem, in the Eastern region, where he warned Ghanaians against continually changing incumbent governments to try new ones, saying such a situation stalls development, was truly unfortunate.

“If changing governments was bad, why did he and his party agitate for the changing of the NPP government in 2008? Changing governments was good for him in 2008, but when the time has come for Ghanaians to change governments in 2016, it’s now a bad thing,” Akufo-Addo said.

He added: “I get sad listening to the President sometimes. It is heart wrenching hearing some of the comments he makes. Does he understand the tenets of democracy? If he understood democracy, he wouldn’t be saying some of the things he says.”

Nana Akufo-Addo was addressing residents of Denkyira Obuasi, in the Upper Denkyira West constituency of the Central Region, yesterday, when he made these remarks.

The NPP flag-bearer explained that it was for a good reason why Ghana’s Constitution directed that elections be held every four years.

“Why is that so? It’s because when you come into office and do a poor job, Ghanaians have the opportunity of removing you from office. We (in the NPP) are coming to change this incompetent government and bring in a competent government.”

Again, Nana Akufo-Addo indicated that President Mahama’s issue with him begging for the votes of Ghanaians is, yet, another affirmation of the President’s weak understanding of democracy.

“Doesn’t the power reside in the hands of Ghanaians? So if I want the opportunity to serve the people, don’t I have to beg for it? Let it be known to him that I will not stop begging to Ghanaians for their mandate,” he added.