President Nana Akufo-Addo is slowly gearing up for the election season with a prediction of a landslide victory for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the 2020 election.
Despite persistent complaints of hardship, the President believes the achievements of his government in the last two years are enough to secure the NPP another term in office.
Speaking at the commissioning of the Anyaa LA school complex at Anyaa as part of his tour of the Greater Accra Region, he said, “I will ask for your continuous support for my party and for my government, for it is that support that strengthens me in the work I am doing.”“[For] the million difference in 2016, we are going to increase it on the basis of the work that I am doing… All those who said that I would not be able or I could not fulfill my promises, I hope that one by one, they are seeing that they were wrong.”
President Akufo-Addo is yet to declare any intent to run in for the presidency in 2020.
But former President John Mahama has urged the 74-year-old to contest as the New Patriotic Party’s candidate so he can face him again.
“I am begging President Nana Akufo Addo to contest in the next polls. In boxing, the first fight is called the title fight. If you win that fight and your opponent wants another one, it is called a rematch. This is similar to what happened in 2012 when I beat Nana Addo in the polls. In 2016 however, I was defeated. In the 2020 elections, it will be tantamount to a decider in boxing since we have both won the election once, the next poll will determine who the champion really is.”
President Akufo-Addo overcame John Mahama with 53.85% of the total valid votes cast, against the NDC’s 44.4%.
Akufo-Addo’s victory was described as historic in many ways, as it was the first time a sitting President was beaten in an election in that manner.
It was also the first time a total vote difference of more than 1 million was recorded, between the winner and his closest contender any election in Ghana.
Observers attributed the overwhelming election victory to public disaffection for the NDC due to growing impunity and the perception of corruption.
