President Akufo-Addo says after the late Former President Jerry John Rawlings left the presidential scene of Ghanaian politics, no National Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate has own elections in Ghana with more than 51% of valid votes cast.
President Akufo-Addo made the observation when he addressed the regional executives and constituency chairpersons of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Greater Accra at the Jubilee House when they paid a courtesy call on him.
In his brief remarks to the NPP party faithfuls, the President admonished the party functionaries to take note that the most important thing for the NPP as a party to do at this stage of the party’s growth was to keep together, to reinforce their unity and to maintain their morale.
“We should remember, ever since Jerry John Rawlings left the presidential scene of politics in our country, no NDC presidential candidate has won more than fifty one percent (51%) of the votes. His successor Mills, in his first round against Kufuor, had 44 percent, second round 47 percent. When it came to the second time against Kufuor the same figures and in 2008 when he contested against me after three rounds he got 50.03 percent of the vote.
Mahama in 2012, 50.7%; in 2016, 44% of the votes; in 2020, 47% of the votes. What these figures tell us, is that whenever the NPP, we put our acts together, we win,” President Akufo-Addo said.
“The majority is with us, so let us be very clear in our mind, our opponent with all the shouting and the “hey hey hey hey,” do not have the support of the majority of the people in our country. So the future of Ghana, the future of this country is in our hands. It is the function of how we behave, how we organize ourselves that will determine how the country will also move ahead,” President Akufo-Addo added .
The NDC has had two successful presidential candidates apart from the late former President Jerry John Rawlings under the Fourth Republican Constitution and they are the late former President John Evans Atta-Mills and former President John Dramani Mahama.
Former President Atta-Mills won the 2008 elections with 50.03% of the valid votes cast and former President John Dramani Mahama, in the 2012 elections won by 50.70%.
