New Patriotic Party (NPP) national chairman, Freddie Blay says President Akufo-Addo will definitely seek re-election and that thoughts to the contrary should not even be broached.
He says there should be no speculation of the president not seeking re-election as it is not up for consideration by the party.
Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii S?n discussion programme on Wednesday, November 27, Freddie Blay said while the party goes to conference to elect a presidential candidate for the 2020 elections, he does not anticipate anyone challenging President Akufo-Addo even though the race will be open to all who qualify.
He said the President is doing very well and that “you don’t change a winning team. It is a good winning team. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is doing very well and we are all supporting him but that doesn’t prevent anybody who thinks he can do better from the horizon to come up.”
Asked if it will not be a big blow to the NPP if the president personally decides not to go again, Freddie Blay stopped his host, Osei Bonsu (O.B.) in his tracks.
“Err, err, don’t even speculate on that please… because it’s not part of our calculations”, he said.
So it will come as a shock to you? He was asked, to which he retorted, “It will happen, he will go again”, further muffling his hosts persistent questioning with ‘please, please, unless you want to come (to replace him), you want to leave your (job)…
Freddie Blay was on the programme to answer a myriad of questions on the pending December 17 national referendum, performance of government, and criticisms of government by major opposition party, the National Democratic Congress.
He believes the NDC will not be very competitive at the elections and that even though well performing governments don’t necessarily get rewarded with re-election as happened to the NPP in 2008, the party will be retained in power this time round.
He said former President John Mahama should have sat back a little longer to probe why he was voted out of office and that his return to seek re-election is rushed and premature. But he was not going to play his advisor since he is their competitor.
Freddie Blay explained that a number of conferences – Nasara, Women’s and Youth -being organised by the party wings is to galvanise its bases, address some misconceptions that have gone on in the country and also afford a platform for interaction between leadership and grassroots.