He explained that his decision to step down from the race would ensure that “our great party stays on the united path to wrest power from the National Democratic Congress (NDC)”.
Addressing journalists in Accra yesterday, Mr Osei-Ameyaw, who obtained 16 votes at the special electoral college of the NPP mandated to prune down the number of flag-bearer aspirants from seven to five, said he had no doubt that majority of the delegates had decided on Nana Akufo-Addo, adding, “To go contrary to this overwhelming decision of the majority will be to betray the unity path that the whole party paved for us.”
Immediately after he had made the announcement, Mr Osei-Ameyaw, who is the Member of Parliament (MP) for Asuogyaman in the Eastern Region, proceeded to the Nima residence of Nana Akufo-Addo to congratulate him and declare his support to him.
He is the second candidate to opt out of the race, despite successfully making it into the list of top five aspirants to contest the flag-bearer position of the party at the October 18, 2014 congress.
Earlier, the Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament and MP for Essikado-Ketan, Mr Joe Ghartey, had announced his decision to step down from the race after polling 22 out of the 740 votes cast in the special electoral college.
Personal decision
According to Mr Osei-Ameyaw, he decided to step down and support Nana Akufo-Addo after he had held consultations and undertaken spiritual introspection, adding, “I was not forced or pushed by any individual or group to take that stand.”
He observed that the only way the NPP could wrest power from the ruling NDC was for the NPP to unite and join forces ahead of Election 2016.
“If you look through our historical voyage from 1969, when the party took the united path under Dr K.A. Busia’s Progress Party, we won power and through that we were able to implement policies that uplifted the standard and well-being of the Ghanaian citizenry considerably,” he said.
Mr Osei-Ameyaw attributed the failure of the NPP to win the elections of 2008 and 2012 to what he termed as “perceived division”, adding,“ We were unable to win power to continue with the good work of President Kufuor’s administration and also reclaim power from the NDC.”
Nana Akufo-Addo’s response
Nana Akufo-Addo, after receiving Mr Osei-Ameyaw at his residence, commended him for the bold step taken and assured the NPP of his commitment and vision to take power from the NDC in Election 2016.
He said although he was surprised by Mr Osei-Ameyaw’s decision, he said the MP’s reason for stepping down was laudable, adding, “Mr Osei-Ameyaw’s decision is a full endorsement of the peace and unity among party members.”
Nana Akufo-Addo, therefore, called on Ghanaians to rally behind the NPP to redeem the country from the “bad leadership resulting in untold economic hardships”.
(Selorm) | 
(Nana Kwesi)