RESORT TO INTERNAL MECHANISMS TO RESOLVE CONFLICTS — AKUFO-ADDO (PAGE 14)

The 2008 presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has urged supporters of the party to resort to the party’s internal mechanisms to resolve conflicts instead of going on the airwaves to settle their differences since that has the potential of dividing the party further.
Addressing a thanksgiving rally attended by thousands of supporters of the party at the Victoria Park in Sunyani, the Brong Ahafo regional capital, he called on the rank and file of the party to eschew all divisive tendencies, unite and work hard for the victory of the party in the 2012 general election.
Nana Akufo-Addo who also responded to cheers from the teeming crowd that he addressed from the bucket of a Nissan pick-up vehicle, advised party supporters to halt the blame game syndrome that had engulfed the party after its defeat in the 2008 election and unite for the daunting task ahead.
The NPP flag bearer who spoke in Twi, stated that this was the time for supporters of the party to unite, reorganise and position the party to wrest power from the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2012 elections.
Nana Akufo-Addo, however, appealed to President John Evans Atta Mills and the leadership of the NDC to impress upon their supporters to desist from attacking law-abiding supporters of the NPP as well as the seizure of cars from appointees and functionaries of the past government.
He said it is the constitutional right of every Ghanaian to join a political party of their choice and, therefore, the fact that someone did not support or voted for the NDC does not make him or her a target of intimidation and attacks.
Nana Akufo-Addo, therefore, served notice that if the attacks and intimidation by NDC supporters do not stop, supporters of the NPP who think they have been pushed too much to the wall without any provocation would react appropriately.
“I therefore appeal to President Mills to do all within his power to call to order supporters of the NDC who have taken the laws of the country into their hands to attack and intimidate our supporters across the country,” he stressed.
He also used the opportunity to thank supporters of the party in the region for their support during the 2008 elections and urged them to remain calm, focused and resolute and work hard for the return of the party to power in 2012.
Messrs Yaw Osafo Maafo, a former Minister of State; Jake Obetsebi Lamptey, the NPP National Campaign Manager, and Peter Mac Manu, the NPP National Chairman who accompanied the party’s flag bearer for the 2008 elections, also took turns to address the supporters and expressed their appreciation to them for their support and urged them to unite and forge ahead for victory for the party in the 2012 general election.
Nana Akufo-Addo and his entourage earlier visited the Sunyani central market and the business district to thank the market women and traders for their support for the party.
Some members of the crowd carried placards some of which read: “Nana is our hope for 2012”, “Nana All the Way”, “The Elephant is still Alive” and “NPP No Shaking” and danced to the Nana Akufo-Addo’s campaign songs composed by some musicians. They followed his convoy, which went through some of the principal streets in the municipality and acknowledged cheers from the people.