Keep Hope Alive! � Pastors To Nana Addo

Presidential Candidate of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the 2012 general elections, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, received a major morale booster after losing the 2012 elections on Thursday when some leaders of the Christian faith encouraged him to keep hope alive. This was when he met the leadership of Pentecostal and Charismatic Church of Ghana (PCCG). The meeting afforded him the opportunity to explain to the Christian leaders the reasons that informed the NPP�s decision not to accept the results of the 2012 elections and measures being put in place by the party to address their grievances including the option of contesting the matter in the Supreme Court. The Chairman of the Pentecostal and Charismatic Council, Apostle Dr. Opoku Nyinah, who congratulated Nana Akufo-Addo and the NPP for the manner in which they have handled the entire episode, was confident �the will of God will prevail�. In the final analysis, he stressed the belief that �the Ghanaian people will say He has done it again�. In view of this, he noted that �the decision of the Supreme Court will either strengthen or weaken our democracy� and prayed that all will abide by that decision when it is finally made. Rule of law Chairman of the PCCG thanked Nana Addo for not inciting his followers and supporters to take to violence but continues to urge them to remain calm as the party proceeds on the path of the rule of law. On his part, the leader of the main opposition party told the men of God �the party came to the conclusion after examining evidence available to us, that the results that was put out by the Electoral Commission (EC) is not a true reflection of what actually transpired and that is why we have chosen to challenge it in the constitutionally designated forum, which is the Supreme Court.� He acknowledged the need for some key organizations and bodies to be briefed on what exactly the party is up to � the reason for which he said he decided to meet the body, since �a lot of propaganda is going on out there that the NPP and I have set out to bring trouble to Ghana�. For this reason, Nana Addo said, �I have come to assure you that none of that is true and the NPP and I remain committed to the values of the respect for the rule of law, for democratic values and for the freedoms and liberties of our people.� Confidence He further noted, �The NPP tradition has even sometimes fought for these values and will be the last people to do anything that will undermine peaceful and stable democracy that Ghana continues to enjoy�, stressing the need for the voters� voice to reign supreme and not the counter, collator or declarer of the votes. In the case of the just-ended election, Nana Addo said, �the NPP has good reason to believe that that has not been the case.� That notwithstanding, he assured the revered men of God that the party will continue to operate within the confines of the law and not do anything to disturb the peace and stability of the country. Nana Addo later called on Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-William and the leadership of the National Association of Charismatic and Christian Churches at the premises of the Action Chapel International for the same purpose. He was accompanied by the First Vice Chairman of the party, Fred Oware, Member of Parliament (MP) for Anyaa Sowutuom, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, MP for Tarkwa Nsuaem, Gifty Eugenia Kusi, MP for Tema West, Irene Naa Torshie, NPP Director of Administration, Mr Opare Hammond and NPP Director of Operations, Lord Commey.