AKUFO-ADDO SHARES POST-ELECTION THOUGHTS WITH

C O N F I D E N T I A L ACCRA 000055 SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/W E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/26/2029 TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM GH SUBJECT: AKUFO-ADDO SHARES POST-ELECTION THOUGHTS WITH AMBASSADOR TEITELBAUM Classified By: Ambassador Teitelbaum for reasons 1.4 B and D 1.(C) Summary. Ambassador Teitelbaum paid his post-election respects January 26 on defeated NPP candidate Nana Akufo-Addo. The Ambassador used the visit to assure Akufo-Addo that the U.S. wished to maintain a strong relationship with the NPP. Akufo-Addo said that the party leadership would make a decision this week regarding an electoral petition, and he again charged the NDC with electoral intimidation in the Volta Region. However, Akufo-Addo admitted that the court challenge would be very unlikely to overturn the election, but rather saw it as a possible way to highlight what he saw as irregularities. Akufo-Addo has been appearing before large and enthusiastic NPP rallies across Ghana in a post-election "Thanksgiving Tour." End Summary. 2.(C) A casually dressed Akufo-Addo met the Ambassador and POLOFF at the door of his well appointed Accra residence, on the edge of Accra's sprawling Nima neighborhood. Ambassador Teitelbaum said that the U.S. valued its relationship with the NPP, which he believed would someday return to power, and that the Embassy remained open to him. Akufo-Addo replied that the NPP was a natural ally of the U.S. Asked by the Ambassador about the near parity of the leading parties in parliament, Akufo-Addo said that he welcomed both a more assertive parliament and the stability brought by a two-party system. The Ambassador asked about the numerous post-election NPP rallies held around the country, and the enthusiasm of the crowds. Akufo-Addo replied that the NPP supporters believe they won the election, but were cheated. The rallies, he added, are a way to keep up party morale. He added that there had been post-election attacks by NDC supporters on NPP loyalists, although he said that these were diminishing in number. The Ambassador asked that the NPP provide the Embassy with specifics about the attacks. ¶3. (C) Ambassador Teitelbaum asked Akufo-Addo about the status of a NPP election petition. Akufo-Addo said that the party would make a call this week. He added that courts are typically hesitant to overturn elections, but thought it would be useful to "make a noise about" alleged NDC intimidation in the Volta Region. He stated that what had happened in the Volta Region-- the NPP alleges widespread voter intimidation and abuse of NPP polling agents-- was unacceptable and that one region should not be allowed to operate under a different set of laws. (NOTE: International election observers in the Volta Region did not report the scale of irregularities alleged by the NPP. There were also reports of some irregularities in the NPP's heartland region of Ashanti.END NOTE.). ¶4. (C) Akufo-Addo plans a long holiday, to be followed by his involvement in efforts toward reform in party governance. (NOTE: The NPP's process for selecting candidates for parliament led to many local controversies, and four former NPP loyalists won election as Independents. END NOTE.) The Ambassador encouraged Akufo-Addo to manage the NPP's post-election period to avoid squabbling over blame and finger pointing. ¶5. (C). COMMENT. The meeting with Akufo-Addo was short and businesslike. The former candidate seemed subdued, and still coming to grips with his electoral defeat. His analysis of the NPP's defeat did not go beyond allegations of NDC malfeasance. END COMMENT. TEITELBAUM