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Ghana election: Third time lucky for Ghana opposition leader Nana Akufo-Addo? | Ghana election: Third time lucky for Ghana opposition leader Nana Akufo-Addo? |
(about 4 hours later) | |
Ghana's main opposition presidential candidate Nana Akufo-Addo may have lost the two previous elections, but the way he handled those losses resonates with many people in the build-up to Wednesday's poll. | |
He is credited with preventing possible violence in 2012 by not rejecting the outcome - a loss by 300,000 votes to current President John Mahama - and calling for mass protests. | He is credited with preventing possible violence in 2012 by not rejecting the outcome - a loss by 300,000 votes to current President John Mahama - and calling for mass protests. |
Instead, he sought legal redress and accepted defeat after the Supreme Court upheld the result. | Instead, he sought legal redress and accepted defeat after the Supreme Court upheld the result. |
The 72-year-old son of former chief justice and ceremonial President Edward Akufo-Addo has retained his 2012 electoral promise to provide free high-school education. | The 72-year-old son of former chief justice and ceremonial President Edward Akufo-Addo has retained his 2012 electoral promise to provide free high-school education. |
But the former lawyer, attorney general and foreign minister's campaign is now focused on a "one district, one factory" policy that he says will industrialise the country. | But the former lawyer, attorney general and foreign minister's campaign is now focused on a "one district, one factory" policy that he says will industrialise the country. |
The plan is to establish factories in each of Ghana's 216 districts. | The plan is to establish factories in each of Ghana's 216 districts. |
"The time has come for us to move our industrial development forward," the presidential candidate told a rally in eastern Ghana. | "The time has come for us to move our industrial development forward," the presidential candidate told a rally in eastern Ghana. |
"There must be jobs in our country. The lack of jobs, which is the case under this government, poses a threat to the future stability of our country." | "There must be jobs in our country. The lack of jobs, which is the case under this government, poses a threat to the future stability of our country." |
In the north, Mr Akufo-Addo said there would be a functioning dam "in every village" to support agriculture. | In the north, Mr Akufo-Addo said there would be a functioning dam "in every village" to support agriculture. |
His critics, mainly from the governing National Democratic Congress, have dismissed his promises as impossible to fulfil - but Mr Akufo-Addo insists they are not just gimmicks. | His critics, mainly from the governing National Democratic Congress, have dismissed his promises as impossible to fulfil - but Mr Akufo-Addo insists they are not just gimmicks. |
Mr Akufo-Addo is also getting good backing from his wife Rebecca. She told a TV show that he was a "very loving" family man. | Mr Akufo-Addo is also getting good backing from his wife Rebecca. She told a TV show that he was a "very loving" family man. |
"He is also passionate about his politics. He's always cared about Ghana and wanted to do his bit for his country," she added. | "He is also passionate about his politics. He's always cared about Ghana and wanted to do his bit for his country," she added. |
Mr Akufo-Addo is credited with helping to build up the New Patriotic Party, which first contested an election in 1992 when Ghana returned to multiparty democracy after years of military rule. | Mr Akufo-Addo is credited with helping to build up the New Patriotic Party, which first contested an election in 1992 when Ghana returned to multiparty democracy after years of military rule. |
His political career spans more than four decades and he was active in political movements in his early 30s, when he criticised the military government of the time. | His political career spans more than four decades and he was active in political movements in his early 30s, when he criticised the military government of the time. |
He studied in both Ghana and the UK before working as a lawyer in France and served as an MP for the Abuakwa South constituency in eastern Ghana between 1996 and 2008. | He studied in both Ghana and the UK before working as a lawyer in France and served as an MP for the Abuakwa South constituency in eastern Ghana between 1996 and 2008. |