NPP ACTIVIST ENDORSES IDRI (PAGE 14)

Story: Zakaria Alhassan, Tamale

A New Patriotic Party (NPP) activist in Tamale, Alhaji Abdallah Hindu, has appealed to the flag bearer of the party, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to select the Northern Regional Minister, Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idris, to partner him for victory in this year’s December general elections.
According to him, Alhaji Idris was not only the most eligible person for the position following his enormous contribution to the party over the years, but also had the ability to attract floating voters to the NPP.
‘‘As a thoroughbred Danquah-Busia loyalist and faithful believer in the UP tradition, Alhaji Idris has contributed significantly to the establishment and growth of the NPP in the northern and the nation as a whole,’’ he said.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic in Tamale at the weekend, Alhaji Hindu further described the minister as one of the dedicated and ardent followers of the party who never abandoned ship when the going was tough, particularly during the PNDC/NDC eras when most of his contemporaries had to defect.
‘‘If Nana Addo is going to consider a northerner and for that matter a Muslim as his running mate, then Alhaji Idris stands tall among the rest,’’ he acknowledged.
He added that the affable and humble minister could also be considered on merit since he had the wherewithal, capabilities and wealth of experience to partner the flag bearer to face any opposition to the party’s quest for victory in the forthcoming elections.
‘‘Alhaji Idris’s down-to-earth nature endears him to majority of the youth and so can help significantly to win most young voters who constitute the majority to the party. Being a Waterloo of the party, wooing voters in the north would be very significant in the forthcoming elections that are considered very crucial to the party’s ambition of handing over power to another NPP,’’ Alhaji Hindu further intimated.
After graduating from the University of Ghana, Alhaji Idris taught for some years at the Tamale Senior High School. He later became a businessman and worked tirelessly to ensure the victory of the NPP in 2000 when he joined the NPP government to serve the nation.
He was a deputy minister of foreign affairs at the inception of the government. As a result of his distinguished service, he was later made the substantive minister of Works and Housing.