Campaigns reactivated: Akufo-Addo on 11-day non-stop tour, Mahama eyes Ashanti to North

With 16 days to the December 7 general election, the front runners, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC), as well as the other candidates, have returned to the campaign grounds, criss-crossing the country canvassing for votes.

Some of the political parties, including the NPP and the NDC, suspended their campaigns following the death of former President Jerry John Rawlings on November 12, 2020.

But with barely two weeks to the elections, the political parties and candidates will have to maximise the days and time to reach out to the electorate and convince them to vote for them.

NPP

For the NPP, its presidential candidate, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, is heading for the Volta Region to begin an intensive electioneering that will also take him to the Central, Eastern, Ashanti and Greater Accra regions.

The Vice-President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, is expected to focus on the northern sector of the country as the party winds down its campaign.

The Deputy Campaign Manager of the NPP, Dr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, told the Daily Graphic that the NPP had performed creditably well through its flagship programmes, the government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, and ending the power crisis popularly known as dumsor, to convince Ghanaians to re-elect President Akufo-Addo.

He said the tremendous performance of the government had given the party activists the momentum to work extra hard, which had also put the NPP ahead of its opponents.

Dr Abdul-Hamid, who is also the Minister of Inner Cities and Zongo Development, said the party was confident of winning the December 7 polls, stressing that “we are confident without appearing complacent to win the elections”.

NDC

With his eyes set on clawing back the power he lost in 2016 after one term in office, the NDC presidential candidate, Mr John Dramani Mahama, has also returned to the Ashanti Region where he suspended his campaign activities last week following the passing of former President Rawlings, who was the founder of the NDC.

He will spend two days in the Ashanti Region and move up north where he is expected to visit the Upper East, North East, and Northern regions and wrap up in the Savannah Region.

Mr Mahama is expected to spend 10 days and return to Accra at the end of November 2020.

According to the NDC campaign spokesperson, Mr James Agyenim-Boateng, the NDC presidential candidate would use the remaining days to wrap up his tour of Accra and do some mop-up campaign in some areas.

He described the reception received and the mood of the people towards Mr Mahama as “amazing”.

Mr Agyenim-Boateng said the electorate were buying into the $10 billion accelerated infrastructural plan, dubbed the “Big Push”, which the party intended to rely on to provide jobs and execute an industrialisation plan if elected in December 2020.

Besides, he said, the people had embraced the party’s free primary health care promise .

 Mr Ivor Greenstreet— CPP, Mr Kojo Mensah Sosu — NDP Running mate, Mr Christian Kwabena Andrews — GUM

CPP
The presidential candidate of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), Mr Ivor Kobina Greenstreet, said he had scheduled activities in the Eastern, Ashanti, Central, Northern, Greater Accra and the Volta regions.

He said due to the limited time, the party would meet today to strategise on how to maximise the days left.

“So we have to criss-cross to squeeze these areas in during the remaining period, as well as be available for a few scheduled programmes in Greater Accra for the media and constituencies,” he stated.

PNC

For the presidential candidate of the People’s National Convention (PNC), Mr David Apasera, his campaign team will be in Accra this weekend and head for the Northern, Savannah, Bono, Bono East and Ahafo regions from next week.

He told the Daily Graphic that the party did not have the luxury of time and would embark on an intensive campaign till elections were due.

PPP

An aide to the presidential candidate of the PPP, Ms Berlinda Bulley, said the campaign team would be with the candidate, Ms Brigitte Dzogbenuku, in the Volta Region this weekend and continue to the Central Region with their message of hope.

Ms Brigitte Dzogbenuku— PPP, Dr Henry Herbert Lartey — GCPP, Mr Alfred Kwame Asiedu Walker — Independent candidate and Madam Akua Donkor — GFP

NDP

The General Secretary of the National Democratic Party (NDP), Alhaji Mohammed Frimpong, said the campaign team of the party had been divided into two to ensure that the party covered enough groups before election day.

He said the party’s presidential candidate, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, has had to take a back stage in view of her bereavement and would, therefore, not be with the campaign team.
“Our teams are criss-crossing the country to motivate all our parliamentary candidates,” he stated.

As to whether the absence of the presidential candidate on the campaign would not affect the party’s fortunes, he said, “not at all. Our presidential candidate will not need physical presence anywhere to be known, given the unfortunate event.”

He said the party was upbeat about the elections due to its strategies and direction “in fulfilment of the social testament of late Papa J”.

He said the teams were heading towards the five regions of the north as well as the Bono and Ashanti regions.

“As we speak, the National Executive Committee team is currently in the Sissala West Constituency of the Upper West Region,” he stated.

Independent candidate

The running mate of the Independent presidential candidate, Mr Jacob Osei Yeboah, told the Daily Graphic that the team was in Kumasi and was preparing to move to Techiman and other areas.

He said the positive response from the electorate pointed to a victory for Mr Alfred Walker, the Independent presidential candidate.

 Mr Hassan Ayariga — APC, Mr Kofi Akpaloo — LPG, Mr David Asibi Ayindenaba Apasera — PNC

LPG

The presidential candidate of the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG), Mr Kofi Akpaloo, said the team was in the Central Region this weekend and would relocate to the Eastern, Ahafo and Western regions in the remaining days.

He said the party was close to capturing power on December 7, 2020, as the electorate had received his message of changing the fortunes of Ghanaians.

GCPP

The presidential candidate of the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP), Dr Henry Herbert Lartey, who ends his tour of the Ashanti Region today, is heading to the Eastern, Greater Accra,
Volta, Upper West, Upper East, North East and Savannah regions to round up his campaign.

He described as phenomenal the manner in which the electorate had received him wherever he had been.

“It has been a wonderful experience so far. I am enjoying every bit of my campaign,” he said.

APC

For the presidential candidate of the All People’s Congress (APC), Mr Hassan Ayariga, he said he was confident that there would be a major surprise on December 7, as he was poised to win.

Mr Ayariga, who is currently in the Upper East Region, said he was moving to the Upper West, Western, Central and end in the Greater Accra Region.

He said in all the places he had been, the electorate were yearning for change and saying that “they are voting number 7 on December 7”.