I have the looks to be Ghana's President -Kofi Akpaloo

Presidential candidate for the Independent People’s Party (IPP), Mr Kofi Akpaloo, says Ghanaians will vote for him to win the 2012 elections because of his looks. 

According to him, he has the charisma as did ex-President Jerry John Rawlings when he won the 1992 general elections. 

“People will vote for me because of my looks. Rawlings was voted for because of his looks. I have what it takes to make people happy and comfortable.” 

Speaking on e.tv Ghana’s Awake Morning show, the 41-year old Chartered Accountant reiterated that he is going to win the elections hands down without any fear or intimidation from the leading two political parties; NPP and NDC. 

According to him, his party has been receiving massive support from individuals prior to the issuance of a certificate by the Electoral Commission on March 30, 2012. 

“I believe if elections should be held today ahead of the December polls, I will be the third political force in the country,” he said. 

According to Mr Akpaloo, Ghanaians are fed up with the way and manner in which the two leading political parties are handling the country’s economy. 

He stated further that, “those who are fed up are looking up to people like me to get them out of the mess they find themselves in.” 

Campaigns by the IPP started in 2010 and the IPP which has just received its certificate to operate as a political party in Ghana is gearing up to elect constituency, regional and national executives. 

Mr Akpaloo noted that since the EC will not be available until the biometric voters’ registration is completed sometime in May, the IPP will have no other option than to wait and officially launch its campaign in the first week of July. 

At the moment, he says people in and out of the country are working assiduously to bring the party into power come December 2012. 

He noted that his team of “foot soldiers” is painstakingly moving from door to door to convince people to vote for him. 

Touching on his policies to turn the Ghanaian economy from its current state, Mr Akpaloo mentioned that he will give every unemployed youth a monthly allowance of GHC50 as a measure to reduce the economic burden of Ghanaians.

According to him, the monthly stipend will be a means of creating more jobs and generating income for government since it will give the youth the purchasing power, thus propelling businesses to grow and in the long run employing additional hands to work. 

In addition, he said he would ensure that “everybody is given a social security number to serve as a de facto identification card for all their transactions.” 

Stressing on the motto of the IPP which says “Putting people’s lives first with the help of technology”, Mr Akpaloo said he would ensure that a proper address system to enable the banks which will be issuing the monthly allowance to the unemployed retrieve their monies without any difficulties.

Mr Akpaloo, who is not new in Ghana’s political scene, in 2004 contested the Manhyia parliamentary seat as an independent candidate but lost to Dr Kwame Addo Kufuor. 

He, however, believes that “I can do better than what our previous leaders have done.” 

He says he is not looking forward to a run-off since God has shown it to him through a dream that he will win hands down in the coming elections. 

“On several occasions I have had dreams which have been manifested and in the previous elections I dreamt that Kufuor won and he did, I dreamt again that Atta Mills won and he also did. Now that I have dreamt of me winning, I believe I will and nothing will stop me. I will win more than 50 per cent of the votes.” 

Jasmine Arku/etvghana.com