Activities at Kpone, a community on the outskirts of Accra were brought to a temporary halt last Friday when the presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo paid a courtesy call on the Paramount Chief of the Kpone Traditional Area, Nii Tetteh Otu II and his elders. The scenario was as if a group of elephants had descended on the dusty town. Scours of people were seen running towards the traditional council hall, which was the venue for the meeting, to catch a glimpse of Nana Addo and his entourage. The NPP flagbearer was accompanied by some of his colleague aspirants who lost to him, at the December Primaries organised by the party to select a flag bearer. They included Prof. Mike Oquaye, Mr. Dan Botwe, Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku, Jake Obetsebi Lamptey, Yaw Osafo Maafo, Papa Owusu Ank-omah and Boakye Agyarko. Also in the entourage were the NPP National Organizer, Lord Comey, the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Shiekh I.C. Quaye, the Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the NPP, Sammy Crabbe and a host of NPP Regional Officers. A DAILY GUIDE reporter said the venue was so crowded it took the efforts of the police for journalists to pass through the thick crowd to get to the hall to cover the event. While some were dressed in NPP colours singing the praises of Nana Addo and the party, others were virtually struggling to enter the already packed hall where Nana and his team were interacting with the traditional leaders. Nana Addo in an address told the Paramount Chief and his elders that he was there to introduce himself to them and also seek their advice and blessings as he embarked on the presidential cam¬paign. "1 am here to humbly introduce myself and my colleagues to you and all your elders as we embark on this campaign, which I have no doubt in my mind would be a victorious one. We are also here to seek your advice and blessings as we move from place to place. I know you have good wishes for Ghana and that is what we alI hope for this country. It is my belief that when we all join forces for that com¬mon goal we can achieve victory and success for Ghana," Nana Addo said. Nii N.T. Nortey, Spokesperson for the Traditional Council, on behalf of the Paramount Chief, commended Nana and his team for the visit and said it was a step in the right direction because chiefs and traditional leaders had a role to play in the governance of a country. He said the Constitution only barred chiefs from taking part in "active" politics and not politics in general, thus chiefs still had a say in the political affairs of the country but could not campaign publicly for any party. Nii Nortey said he was particularly happy that Nana, in his campaign had refrained from personal attacks and insults and rather dwelt on offering solutions to the countries problems. "It is only politicians who are bereft of ideas who resort to insults to cover their deficien¬cies," he added. Prof Oquaye took the opportunity to tell the chiefs and elders that unlike other political parties the NPP had remained united after its congress and that that was evident in how the defeated flagbearer aspirants had all rallied behind Nana Addo and were following him anywhere he went. Addressing the crowd later, Nana Addo urged the people to take advantage of the voter registration exercise to be undertaken by the Electoral Commission and get registered. He exhorted them to be proud members of the NPP and promised never to let them down by ensuring that the NPP government handed over power to another NPP government. At a point Nana's speech became inaudible, the reporter said, because the size of the crowd kept increasing and the people were rather eager to touch him than listen to him. Sheikh I.C. Quaye as usual stole the show for Nana Addo by singing a song for him and getting the crowd to sing along. Source: Daily Guide