A 72-year-old New Patriotic Party (NPP) supporter, Odeneho Kissinger, from Accra, has called on the party, especially the delegates to the next congress, to re-elect Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as the flag bearer and make Mr Alan Kyerematen his running mate. He conceded that the suggestion would not be easy but argued that the move would be one of the best pairs of presidential ticket to win the 2012 elections. Odeneho Kissinger, who claimed to be a member of the United Party (UP) in the 1950s, was one of four NPP members who spoke to the Daily Graphic at separate interviews at the Kotoka International Airport after the arrival of Nana Akufo- Addo from abroad on Sunday. He said the popularity of the two was not in doubt and that it was high time the party took advantage of his suggestion. He said the NPP led by Nana Akufo-Addo lost the elections by a slim margin ever witnessed in the electoral history of the country. He said notwithstanding the false accusations and lies against Nana Akufo- Addo, he had placed himself in a better position to wrest power from the National Democratic Congress (NDC). Odeneho Kissinger added that "although he could not become the next President after J.A. Kufuor, he remains the most popular political figure now and with, Alan as his, running mate, the party will definitely win the polls". He said such a move if executed early would clear any uncertainty about who would lead the party and also allow the party ample time to campaign and win the election. "We lost the 2008 election by less than 50,000 votes (so) with just a little hard work and united front coupled with good strategies, we will close this gap and form the next government to continue with the good policies and programmes initiated by President Kufuor," he added. Ms Mable Amponsah, a trader at the Kaneshie Market, urged the party executive to ensure unity within the party. She called on the leadership of the party to maintain Nana Akufo-Addo as presidential candidate for the 2012 elections. She argued that although the party's constitution demanded that a flag bearer should always be elected by congress, the party must maintain Nana Akufo-Addo because he had marketed himself and stood the better chance of winning the next election. She pleaded with other leading members of the party who would also contest the flag-bearership to ensure that the process leading to the congress did not become acrimonious Ms Amponsah commended Nana Akufo-Addo for exhibiting political maturity and patriotism by not contesting the results and instigating the party supporters to take to the streets. "Irrespective of the fact that the party's constitution required that after every general election, the party must hold a congress to elect a new flag-bearer, but for the sake of winning the elections, the delegates must re-elect Nana Akufo-Addo," she pleaded. She also urged the party executive to stand firm and defend the leading members of the party especially Nana Akufo-Addo, his running mate, Dr M. Bawumia, and former President Kufuor from the "subtle means by which the current administration is maligning and maltreating them as if they have stolen state vehicles." Ms Amponsah again advised the party executive to constantly hold press conferences to point out to Ghanaians the shortfalls of the NDC administration. Mr Robert Robertson of Accra expressed shock that after a vigorous campaign the NPP lost the election by just a small margin and urged the top hierarchy of the party to scientifically undertake a study to ascertain what made the party to lose the election and develop appropriate strategies to ensure that it did not suffer such a mishap again. He suggested that to avoid the re-occurrence of the acrimony that characterised the last congress that saw the election of Nana Akufo-Addo, the party executive must find a way of limiting the number of people who would contest for the position and said "despite this admonition, I still maintain that Nana Akufo-Addo must be given the nod again. This will limit the amount of work we have to do to market him". He said, apart from what the national executive would be doing in the interim before the 2012 campaign commenced, the rank and file of the party must constantly be reminding Ghanaians, especially the electorate, of the good work of the Kufuor Administration and the need to bring back the NPP. Mr Akwasi Agamabila from Bongo said it was evident from the results of the elections that Nana Akufo- Addo did his best for the party to, win but circumstances beyond his control contributed to the slim loss. He said he deserved to be given the next chance to lead the party and "by the grace of God he will win the elections". Source: Daily Graphic