The 2016 Presidential Candidate of the Progressive People's Party (PPP), Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom, has begun a "Thank You" tour that will take him to all the 10 regions of the country.

The tour, which commenced from the Central Region on Saturday, saw the flag bearer making whistle stops at Kasoa, Buduburam, Gomoa, Winneba, Mfantseman and finally ending with a mammoth rally at Elmina, his home town.

Background

On Friday, an Accra High Court Judge, Eric Kyei Baffour, "quashed" the decision made by the Electoral Commission (EC) on October 10, 2016  to reject the presidential nomination papers of Dr Nduom and ordered the commission to restore the rights given the presidential aspirant by law to amend and alter the anomalies on the forms.

Dr Nduom has responded to the ruling with considerable graciousness, saying that he did not want to go to court and had hoped the opportunity would have been given by the EC for the issue to be resolved amicably and administratively.

He has reiterated his wish for the EC to become a strong independent institution that applies all related laws evenly across the board without fear or favour.

‘Thank You; tour

At Kasoa, Dr Nduom, who interacted with the traders, market women, drivers and travellers at the old market and lorry park, was received with great enthusiasm and joy with shouts of "wotsir nkwa o!", which means congratulations.

The PPP  parliamentary candidate for the Awutu Senya East Constituency, Mr Kweku Kwarteng, also led party supporters within the constituency to welcome Dr Nduom.

From there, the team stopped at the Budumburam market, camp and taxi station to interact with the people. The PPP Parliamentary Candidate for Gomoa East,  also led a large crowd of supporters to wish Dr Nduom well in his campaign.

And at Effutu, Nana Ofori Owusu, the party’s parliamentary candidate, and his supporters were very upbeat about the party’s chances of winning both the presidential and the parliamentary elections..

The PPP supporters went through the principal streets of Winneba amid joyous songs and cheers.

Interestingly, some young and old activists wearing National Democratic Congress (NDC) ‘T-shirts joined the PPP supporters to congratulate Dr Nduom on the court victory.

Led by the PPP candidate for Mfantseman, Kwabena Otchere, Dr Nduom walked through the Mankessim market and lorry park amid cheers and congratulations from the people.

Our candidate has come

Many promised to vote for him saying "...our candidate has come."

The cheers were deafening in Cape Coast where the PPP parliamentary candidate for Cape Coast South, Bright Drofoenu, led Dr Nduom and his team through the Kotokoraba market and principal streets.

In the Komenda/Edina/Eguafo/Abirim (KEEA) municipal district, Dr Nduom was met by one of the biggest crowds ever in Elmina and taken through the streets in a carnival atmosphere.

Everyone was in white, signifying victory, or PPP's red and white colours.

There were tears of joy and "...welcome, our President!"  At a big rally at the Boa woho Bridge the Omanhen of the Edina Traditional Area, Nana Kodwo Conduah VI, welcomed Dr Nduom home to Elmina with prayers and Christian songs of praise, saying it is God  who has made his victory possible.

Victory for all Ghanaians

Nana Conduah said the victory was for all Ghanaians.

Dr Nduom thanked God and said everything that had been achieved was through the grace of God.

He thanked the people of KEEA for standing by him, coming to support him in Accra throughout the court proceedings and encouraging him with their prayers.

He said through the court ruling, democracy had won, freedom of choice and association had won and the rule of law had become stronger.

He asked the people to support and vote for him and all the PPP parliamentary candidates so that the victory in court would have  true meaning.

Dr Nduom will move to the Western Region on Sunday and then to the Volta, Upper East, West and Northern regions next week.

Source: graphic.com