President John Dramani Mahama says the New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential candidate, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is praying for a run-off in the presidential election but that will not materialise . "I want to assure them that we want to celebrate Christmas and I am going to do it one touch so that we can focus on the Christmas. The NDC will win in the first round," he said.

President Mahama said this when he addressed teeming party supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC ) at a rally at Dzodze in the Ketu North District of the Volta Region on Friday.

According to the President, the NPP knew they cannot win the election that was why they were preparing the grounds to reject the result by constantly attacking the Electoral Commission (EC) and particularly the Chairperson of the Commission.

"Everyday, they say the Electoral Commission wants to steal the election for John Mahama. You think you are deceiving the people. You will pay for it," the President said to loud cheers from the huge crowd.

He urged the people of the Volta Region to reject the NPP lies that the government had neglected the region. "They are telling lies because you all know what the government has been able do to in terms of development of the region. "

He added: "What we need from the Volta Region is a massive turnout on election day. We want 99.999 percent turn out ."

Akufo-Addo run away

President Mahama jabbed Nana Akufo-Addo for "running away" from the NCCE/GBC presidential debate, only to appear on Peace FM two days later to grant a lengthy interview to the radio station.

He described the NPP leader's act as gross disrespect to Ghanaians.

President Mahama said Nana Akufo-Addo feared he (Mahama) would expose his lies that was why he run away. Again, he said, the NPP presidential candidate is bereft of ideas about governance.

“He says so many things that are wrong. So I said come and sit down and let’s have a debate so that Ghanaians will know the truth. But he run away. So after running away from the one-on-one, the NCCE gave the opportunity to all of us who want to be President to come and tell Ghanaians why we want to be President. That one was not one-on-one; so at least show respect to the Ghanaian people and come. That one too he run away," President Mahama said .

He said what Nana Akufo-Addo did was "the greatest disrespect you can show to the Ghanaian people."

He continued that as President, he should be the one to feel reluctant to go for the debate because all the others would be attacking him because they want his post

"But the leader of the opposition is rather running away, which is very strange. Even Trump with all his wild ideas had the boldness to attend the debate. This morning he (Nana Addo) rather went on Peace FM and spoke slangs. So I said if you can speak slangs then you should come to the debate and speak there,” President Mahama said.

source:graphic.com.gh