Akufo-Addo must retire – Hassan Ayariga

72-year-old Nana Akufo-Addo is too old to still be running for President, flag bearer of the All People’s Congress (APC), Hassan Ayariga has said.

At the launch of his party’s 2016 manifesto in Accra, Mr Ayariga said it was important for seniors like Nana Akufo-Addo to retire from politics and allow the youth to have a go at the presidency.

He said Ghana needs the youth to lead the country rather than a grandfather.

“Let me borrow my friend’s words: we don’t need a grandfather to govern this country because we are focused on moving Ghana forward,” Mr Ayariga said, reiterating independent candidate Jacob Osei Yeboah’s sentiments that while President John Mahama, flag bearer of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) was a father, Nana Akufo-Addo, who is running for the third time was a grandfather who should not be in the same contest with his children.

He said a future Ayariga government will ban people above 67 years from running for president, “so [that] some leaders wouldn’t be able to compete for president at the age of 72”.