Akwasi Addai aka Odike
FLAG BEARER of the United Progressive Party (UPP), Akwasi Addai aka Odike, has stated that his name will appear on the ballot paper on December 7.
According to him, he had not been disqualified by the Electoral Commission (EC) from taking part in the presidential race and so his fans should remain calm.
He said the UPP had internal wrangling at the time that the various presidential candidates were submitting their nomination forms some weeks ago.
Odike disclosed to DAILY GUIDE that the EC ordered the UPP to solve those problems in order to contest in the polls “and we have done exactly that.”
He said the EC had now given the UPP the green light to take part in the polls saying, “The EC will make an announcement to that effect soon.”
Nana Vrs Odike
Odike wrote President Mahama off in the December 7 polls, insisting that the contest is a two-horse race between him (Odike) and Nana Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
According to him, President Mahama lost the poll one year ago, noting that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) leader’s inconsistent statements would send the party into opposition.
Odike said President Mahama is confused and so he has been coming out with inconsistent statements in a desperate attempt to woo voters.
“In one breath, President Mahama said he will not pay the teacher training allowance, even if that will cost him the election on December 7. In another breath, this same president said he had ordered the finance ministry to pay the teacher training allowance. This shows that he is confused.”
Odike predicted that President Mahama would secure 22 percent of the valid votes cast in the presidential election as against Odike’s 37 percent and Nana Akufo-Addo’s 35 percent.
He said the winner would be decided during a run-off between the UPP and the NPP, stressing that the NDC is out of the contest already.
FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi