Mahama lashes out at Akufo-Addo for not debating him

President John Dramani Mahama has taken a swipe at the presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party, Nana Akufo-Addo, for opting out of Wednesday’s presidential debate.

The NPP said its decision not to participate in the National Commission for Civic Education and GBC debate was based on the fact that it is pre-occupied with equally important things. 

But in his introductory remark during the debate Wednesday, President Mahama, who proud himself as the first sitting president to participate in a debate, described Nana Akufo-Addo’s decision as bad.

“It is indeed bad that the leader of the opposition has opted out. It is usually the opposition that is keen to have a debate with the incumbent but here I am,” he said.

The debate seeks to give the candidates an opportunity sell their policies and programmes to electorate to help them make an informed decision to before they go to the polls on December 7.

It was participated by the presidential candidates of the Progressive People’s Party, Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom; Convention People’s Party, Ivor Kobina Greenstreet; National Democratic Congress, John Mahama; People’s National Convention, Dr Edward Mahama and independent candidate Jacob Osei Yeboah.

“I feel very proud that I’m the first sitting president to have participated in a debate in 2012 and I’m participating again,” President Mahama said.

President Mahama had earlier expressed his readiness to debate Nana Akufo-Addo one-on-one to discounts the numerous claims of mismanagement by his government.

“How can I run from a debate? I want a productive debate, one on one with Nana Akufo-Addo. What they are talking about is the IEA. I want a debate on all the contentious issues he has raised. And I will respond and Ghanaians will be the judge,” the President had said earlier.

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Mahama will win 64% votes in Tema – NDC

Alliance for Peace, a group within the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is predicting that President John Mahama will be rewarded with over 64 percent of the total votes in Tema come December 7.

According to the group, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) will lose its hold on Tema in this year’s elections giving way for a sweet NDC victory.

Chairman of the group, Nana Yaw Bekoe Nkansah says the Mahama-led administration has invested heavily in the area of education, health among other social amenities in Tema.

“I can assure you that Mahama’s victory in Tema will be due to the developmental projects and the area of employment and establishment of businesses will take a different dimension in his second term in office,”he said. 

He said this on the sidelines in an interview with Adom News after a peace walk and float through Tema Central, East and West constituencies to rally support for NDC Parliamentary candidates; Ebi Bright, Kempes Ofosuware and James Enu.

The float caught the attention of residents including members of Tema Central NPP who had just returned from a health walk.

Despite the tension between the two parties in the last few days, it was a spectacle to hold as NPP supporters happily distributed Kalyppo juice to NDC supporters. 

Alliance for Peace is optimistic that all three constituencies which hitherto have been dominated by the NPP will fall to the NDC candidates.

Meanwhile, Women Commissioner of Alliance for Peace, Gloria Ekua Van Dyke said women have a lot to prove in the coming elections.

“I know all the candidates will do well especially our only lady, Ebi Bright who is contesting the current Member of Parliament for Tema Central constituency, Kofi Brako,” she said.

She is urging women in Tema to support all the NDC candidates especially Tema Central candidate, Ebi Bright since she is a visionary.

Both Ebi Bright and lawyer James Enu who took part in the float promised a bright future for Tema once they are given the mantle to serve.

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Mahama schools supporters on how to vote

President John Mahama has brought his campaign tour of the Western Region to an end by schooling his party supporters on how to vote.

The president said it is crucial for the people to be taken through the voting process so their ballots will not be spoilt.

The number of spoilt ballots in the 2012 elections was higher than votes of all the smaller political parties.

It was the third highest figure following that of president John Mahama and Nana Akufo-Addo respectively.

There has been calls on the National Commission on Civic Education to take voters through a massive education campaign to reduce the number of spoilt ballots in the upcoming election.

The president has taken the lead, with the education campaign.
Speaking at Adabokrom in the Bia East of the Western Region the president said all campaign efforts will go waste if the supporters mistakenly spoil their ballots.

He said over the four year period the NDC has been on the right track and urged the supporters to retain him in office. But that can only be done if the supporters vote well.

Exhibiting a sample ballot paper to the supporters, the president said there will be seven presidential candidates on the ballots.

He will be third on the ballot and urged the supporters thumb print his photopgraph and clean the ink on their thumb before folding the ballot and dropping it into the box.

The president also reminded the people to maintain the culture of giving incumbent presidents eight years, saying like his predecessors, John Rawlings and John Kufuor, he must also be given eight years to complete his tenure.

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Adwoa Safo targets 90,000 votes for Nana Addo in Dome Kwabenya

Officials of the New Patriotic Party in the Dome Kwabenya constituency in the Greater Accra Region are hopeful of securing 90,000 votes for their presidential candidate, Nana Akufo-Addo in the area on December 7, 2016. 

Speaking to Citi News during a rally in the constituency, Member of Parliament for the area, Adwoa Safo said they have done enough to ensure that the target is attained. “As you all know Dome Kwabenya is a very strong hold of the NPP.

We have embarked on operation 90,000 votes so having done the house-to-house, churches, door-to-door, meeting groups and opinion leaders in the constituency I needed to round it all up with this rally to make sure that my people are reassured that indeed this is a stronghold and we must not disappoint Nana Akufo-Addo and we must not disappoint Adwoa Safo. 

We must deliver the 90,000 votes and that is why we are having this programme today.

A number of artistes including Diana Asamoah, Antwi ne Antwi, Praye among others performed at the rally which was held at the Atomic Park in Accra.

Adwoa Sarfo is being challenged by Nurudeen Mohammed, the parliamentary candidate of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC).

In the 2016 election Akufo-Addo got 61,534 votes in the presidential race while Adwoa Safo had 63,373 in the parliamentary race. The constituency has been an easy win for the NPP in previous elections.

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