Vice Chairman of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), Samuel Ofosu Ampofo has urged Ghanaians not to make a mistake of voting for the largest opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) Flagbearer, Nana Akufo-Addo, in the upcoming December 7 election because he lacks the strength and mental capacity to govern Ghana.
According to him, governance is an arduous task hence requires someone who has the strength to effectively execute his or her mandate while in office.
The NDC has been playing the age card as part of its campaigning for this year’s polls urging Ghanaians to vote for a much younger President John Dramani Mahama who’s 58 years as against NPP’s Nana Akufo Addo who is 72 and ageing.
Addressing an NDC crowd at Asamankese in Upper West Akyem District in the Eastern Region during the campaign launch of the party’s Parliamentary Candidate for the area on Sunday, Mr Ofosu Ampofo urge Nana Akufo Addo stated that Nana Akufo Addo is not in the right frame of mind and strength to lead Ghana because he runs abroad immediately after he does one week of campaigning.
“Nana Akufo Addo has become very desperate; he’s 72 years… by Ghana’s laws when you’re sixty years you go on pension because your strength reduces. Nana is 72 years, still, he wants to contest for the presidency. Now, if you ask of his whereabouts…he campaigns for a week, then he goes abroad for two weeks. Ghanaians want a President who has the physical and mental capacity to govern the nation. Governance is a very strenuous exercise, and you need a very strong personality who has enough strength to do the work. We don’t want to vote for a President who stays in Ghana for one week and spend the next two weeks in London. Why, is he building an annexe of the Flag Staff House in London and work there,” Ofosu Ampofo quizzed.
Meanwhile, Nana Akufo Addo has once responded to the NDC, reiterating that age is not a factor when it comes to the presidency, but competence and ability to deliver count.
Inaugurating the South African branch of the NPP in May 2016, at Illovo in Johannesburg, the three-time presidential candidate of the main opposition party noted, the NDC’s bid to play the age card to secure victory in the 2016 elections will not wash.
According to the 72-year-old, there are living examples in the sub-region to prove that presidents above 70 can provide solutions.
“Alassane Ouattara, who I am talking about, in Cote d’Ivoire is two years older than me. Muhammadu Buhari is three years older than me, and you see what he is doing in Nigeria,” the former foreign affairs minister told the gathering.
“The so-called young man that we have is plunging our country into a ditch. Let’s elect the so-called old man to come and take our country out of the ditch.”
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