Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, flagbearer of the opposition New Patriotic Party for the 2012 elections, has dared his critics to prove with empirical evidence that he is a drug addict or “shut up” and stop attacking his personality. For the first time, the NPP flagbearer is making a public pronouncement on what he describes as a smear campaign against his personality. “I have never tasted or sniffed cocaine. Why are my detractors attacking my personality saying that I am a drug addict?” Nana Addo fumed. Nana Addo vowed not to tolerate any further attacks on his personality and threatened to deal decisively with persons who continue to peddle falsehood against him as a drug addict. He was speaking at the opening ceremony of a three day national NPP youth conference held at the Mafara Hotel in Tamale. Giving a brief history and ideology of the Danquah-Busia-Dombo tradition, Nana Addo encouraged all NPP loyalists to improve the party’s internal harmony by doing away with factionalism. He said the contest for leadership positions in the NPP was over for which reason factionalism should be discarded by all party members. The NPP 2012 flagbearer stated emphatically that nobody or group of persons within the NPP will be allowed to place their preference above the collective interest of the party for elections 2012. He reassured Ghanaians of free secondary education under his leadership and expressed the hope that he will win the 2012 elections. Nana Addo confirmed that part of the factors which caused the NPP’s defeat in 2008 had to do with the choice of Parliamentary candidates, and that the party’s success in 2012 will largely depend on how the leadership will manage the upcoming Parliamentary primaries ahead of the next elections. He underscored the need for party leadership, particularly at the grassroots to listen to party supporters in their respective constituencies to get good materials for the Parliamentary contest in 2012. Other NPP bigwigs who attended the workshop included Jake Otanka Obetsebi Lamptey, the National Chairman; Mr. Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie alias Sir John, the General Secretary as well Dr. Mahamud Bawumia, NPP 2008 running mate and Gabby Asare Otchere Darko, Executive Director of the Danquah Institute. Source: Citi FM