Akufo Addo Angry With Addison

The 2016 flag bearer of the opposition New Patriotic Party, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, is reported angry with his lawyer in the 2012 election petition and failed Korle-Klottey parliamentary aspirant, Phillip Addison, over the latter�s reference to the eight month long novel election petition as �so-called election petition� Information available to The aL-hAJJ indicates that Nana Akufo-Addo felt letdown by lawyer Addison after he sought to downgrade the election petition which he was chosen as lead counsel ahead of other seasoned NPP lawyers. Party insiders disclosed to this paper that the twice defeated presidential candidate did not take kindly to Addison�s outbursts and attacks on the NPP and its handling of internal elections after his defeat in last weekend primaries of the Korle Klottey constituency. As if acting on advice of a pro-NPP group, "Save NPP Now", to distance himself from lawyer Addison, media reports indicate that Nana Akufo-Addo turned down a request from his lawyer in the 2012 election petition to probe alleged illegalities in the last weekend parliamentary primaries. Philip Addison�s dream of joining frontline politics by becoming the NPP�s 2016 parliamentary candidate for the Korle Klottey constituency was dashed as his 22 votes at the primaries could not match a former constituency chairman of the area, Nii Noi Nortey�s 393 votes. Feeling letdown by his party�s inability to shepherd him to stardom after leading them in court in the election petition, Addison, aside boycotting the election even before voting started and claiming the process was fraught with irregularities, noted that the outcome of the parliamentary primaries makes it difficult to strike a difference between the Danquah-Busia-Dombo tradition and the ruling NDC, which the party accused of rigging the 2012 elections. �I was saddened that the very matters we as a party have been complaining about over the years were being practiced avidly. The very matters we took to the Supreme Court, the issues we complained about were being meted out to some of us. �It�s very difficult to recognize the NPP now, the party that I have known for these years. The difference between the NDC and NPP is very blur because of the activities of certain people,� defeated Addison bemoaned. In the heat of his outburst, borne out of his humiliating defeat, Addison referred to the election petition he lead in court as the �so-called election petition.� His comment has angered some activists of the party, with a group calling itself, "Save NPP Now", accusing him of betraying Nana Akufo-Addo after the latter had reposed confidence in him by nominating him to front the election petition at the Supreme Court. A statement signed by communications director for "Save NPP Now", Baah Acheamfour, said �the reference to the famous election petition as "so-called" by no mean a person than Philip Addison as disrespectful, arrogant and an insult to the party". The statement added that the group was not surprised Nana Akufo-Addo�s lead counsel in the election petition made �this derogatory remark in the heat of his frustrations; after all, he is just a latter-day-saint in the NPP who has unfortunately been made a hero overnight.� Unknown to Addison that Nana AkufoAddo was also in tune with the pressure group�s sentiments, he sought to seek refuge in the 2016 flag bearer by petitioning him to look into the Korle Klottey primaries, but was met with antagonistic response. Reports are that Nana Akufo-Addo rejected the petition and instead directed Addison to forward his concerns to the party�s General Secretary, Kwabena Agyei Agyapong whom he (Addison) had accused of skewing the election in favor of Nii Noi Nortey.