NPP Race: Opt Out Too, Osei-Ameyaw Tells Alan, Addai Nimoh

Former presidential hopeful, Kofi Osei-Ameyaw, has appealed to two of his fellow flagbearer-aspirants to opt out of the race, like he did, to support two-time presidential candidate Nana Akufo-Addo. The Asuogyaman Legislator withdrew from the race Thursday and declared support for the former Attorney General to ensure unity in the party, adding: �Ghanaians will not forgive us if we disappoint them because of disunity.� Akufo-Addo garnered more than 80 percent of votes in the party�s recent mini congress held to whittle down the number of seven aspirants to five. Former Attorney General Joe Ghartey, who was one of the shortlisted candidates, was the first to withdraw from the race after the super delegates� congress. Osei Ameyaw followed suit. Apart from Akufo-Addo, the remaining candidates are former Minister of trade Alan Kyerematen and MP Francis Addai Nimoh. Accompanying Nana Akufo-Addo, on Friday, September 12, 2014, to thank the 79 delegates from the Greater Accra Region, who voted in the August 31 Special Electoral College, Kofi Osei-Ameyaw appealed to Kyerematen and Addai Nimoh to also opt out. He said he had tried talking to the two politicians to join the �united path�, explaining that �victory in 2016 is non-negotiable.� �I tried to advise my brothers who were on the �divided path� to come onto the united path. I am hoping, Insha Allah, that Addai Nimo will come by next week. But if he and the rest don�t come, we will let them know that we are not ready to mess around,� the Asuogyaman MP stressed. �Having heard from those at the grassroots, that they have already paved the unity path, I had no option but to join the united path to power. Now it is up to you to go back to them that the field is only left with a few people and the percentage must increase. My 2.16% must be added to the united path to power,� he said. On why he decided not to contest the main presidential primary, he explained that the verdict from August 31 implied that the four other aspirants had been placed on a �divided path� by the delegates, adding that �I will not stand in the way of the united path to victory.� He recalled how the NPP, when it was placed on the divided path in 1979, 2008 and 2012, lost power, �but whenever we take the united path, we win power.� In view of this, and after further consultation with the grassroots of the party, the Asuogyaman MP stated that he had decided to join the �united path� that the party has set, by campaigning for Nana Akufo-Addo to secure an emphatic mandate, firstly, from NPP delegates in the October 18 contest and secondly, from Ghanaians, in the 2016 elections. On the statements being made by some of the remaining presidential aspirants that the views of the constituency chairmen who voted on August 31 are not representative of the views of the polling station executives, Osei-Ameyaw urged the Chairmen to prove to them that they did the will of the polling station executives, adding that �you are the chairmen, let them see how strong you are in your constituencies. If you don�t deliver nothing short of 95% for Nana Akufo-Addo, then you are not strong.�