Dr Arthur Kobina Kennedy, one of the defeated presidential aspirants of the NPP, has said that despite the fact that the conduct of many of the NPP delegates in the last congress was characterised by deception, in the end they voted for the best candidate, Nana Addo DankwaAkufo-Addo. He said that "our nominee, Nana Akufo-Addo, knows the history, ideals and tendencies of the party better than perhaps any member of the Danquah-Busia tradition". Breaking his silence in response to a question by the Daily Graphic, he said that with a re-invigorated NPP behind him, Nana Akufo-Addo gives the nation the best chance and the surest hands for building on President Kufuor's impressive legacy. He said that since his nomination, Nana Akufo-Addo had put on display his impressive skills as a diplomat and a unifier, by reaching out to other aspirants and all segments of the party. Commenting on his performance at the NPP congress, Dr Kennedy said that while he was disappointed, he felt even more keenly the disappointment of those who gave so much of their time, energy and treasure in support of his cause. "I thank them and all of you in the party, the press and the public, who gave so freely of their time, as we debated the future of our country. I thank you sincerely and unreservedly take full responsibility for my performance." On December 22, last year, Dr Kennedy came last obtaining a single vote in a keenly contested election which saw NPP delegates voting for Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as flag bearer out of 17 aspirants. Dr Kennedy said that the hardest part of his experience was giving the news to his eight-year-old son, Kwamina, and answering his questions. He said that many Ghanaians were impressed with the serious issues he raised during the campaign whilst others had lauded his courage in confronting difficult issues as well as giving young people hope for the future. He said that the conduct of so many delegates who pledged support but did not vote for him had not diminished his trust in people and he was not embarrassed by the results he obtained. "I believe that nobody should be apologetic about trying to make our country better, regardless of the outcome" he said. He said that he had made new friends and renewed old ones and expressed the hope that the relationships would last for the rest of his life. He said that an event like the NPP Congress required reflection and self-examination. "I have examined my life, my knowledge of history and my faith for meaning in what happened," he stated. He recalled that in life, he had been a UN refugee twice on account of his role in the promotion of democracy and his medical education was almost ruined. "Yet, I overcame all those odds," he said. He added that from history, we learn that the path to success was seldom smooth, and cited Abdulaye Wade who failed many times before becoming President of Senegal. He said that Brazil's Lula also failed many times before reaching the presidency and President J. A. Kufuor also failed twice before making it the third time. He said that sometimes, one could appreciate the peaks of success better if one had been through the valleys of defeat. He expressed the conviction that his failure may some day make him a better president and took consolation from others, including Dr J.B. Danquah and Gandhi, who made significant contributions to their nation's politics without winning ultimate political power. He gave the assurance that he would stay in the political arena and join with all those who shared his passion to fight for a better party and country. He said that his hope was to inspire a new generation of Ghanaians to believe in causes larger than their narrow self-interest. "I may not live to see my dreams for my party or country come true or reach the Presidency. However, till I draw my last breath, I shall fight passionately and consistently for these ideas and causes," he stated. Source: Daily Graphic