“It is not what we eat but what we digest that makes us strong; not what we gain but what we save that makes us rich; not what we read but what we remember that makes us learned; and not what we profess but what we practice that gives us integrity” - Francis Bacon   English Lawyer and Philosopher.

Growing up in a Christian home one of the popular verses I familiarised myself with, was “good name is better than riches” which hitherto have had very positive impacts on me and all who believe in the substance of the verse.

That is why in every organisation or institution people with integrity and ‘unquestionable’ character are given responsible and sensitive positions to manage.

I once picked a stroll to some pub around Nkrumah Circle the centre of Accra, but as a journalist my ears were open to gossip and title-tattles. In the pub I overhead a group of young men believed to be members of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), whose main concern was how to disabuse the minds of Ghanaians and make them believe that their presidential candidate Nana Addo is not a drug baron as alleged but a presidential candidate with an impeccable credibility to lead the country.

I heard them say among themselves ‘’ we have sat down and allowed Nana’s image and credibility soiled to the extent that it is almost irreparable’’ They raised issues of cocaine, wee, arrogance and other social vices as the “Achilles tendon” of the presidential hopeful.

Though they contended that the allegations levelled against him aren’t true they believe also that it has come to stay and the ordinary Ghanaian believe it’s true.

Former editor of The Chronicle Newspaper and a staunch member of the NPP, Mr. Kofi Koomson, corroborated the fears of Ghanaians by stating in an interview with Radio Gold during the 2008 campaign period, that “I can’t sleep if Nana Addo is made President of Ghana, he is a dangerous character”.

As if what Kofi Koomson said wasn’t enough, other political stalwarts like the leader of the United Renaissance Party (URP) Kofi Wayo and others have challenged Nana Addo to make his blood available for cocaine test, if he believes the drug allegations are false.

But if Kofi Koomson who was close to the man and perhaps knows the man more than the electorates said he can’t sleep if Nana Addo is made President. Thus, who will dare vote for such a man, with whom many believe he is not fit to lead the blessed country called Ghana.

I believe that if issues of integrity and credibility are going to inform electorates choice of who leads the country, then I dare say per talk of town and my personal survey that it will be a ‘cool chop’ for President Mills come 2012.

It is pretty obvious that the trouble confronting and hunting Nana Addo and his NPP is the image of President John Evans Atta Mills.

President Mills has been making Ghanaians proud all over the world via his sincere, honest and humble leadership coupled with his insatiable trust in God.

I believe these leadership traits were the basis for the enormous goodwill Ghana earned from the development partners and investors during his recent visit to China and Japan.

A business mogul in China told me in Beijing that “Ghana’s President is a man that comes across as a clean leader that can be trusted”.

At his recent meeting with journalist at the 2011 Editors’ Forum for which the president stood for close to two and half hours at the castle, the editor in chief of the New Crusading Guide Abdul Malik Kwaku Baako and other ‘senior’ journalists described the President’s image as very positive, one good enough to facilitate the development of a country.

He said ‘’ Ghana does not need a boisterous or Western Cow boy type of President’’ which meant to suggest that the President’s image is unquestionable.
But question really is who the cow boy is or boisterous leader Abdul Malik was referring to?

Again, if people can’t sleep should Akuffo Addo win the 2008 elections, can they sleep if that man wins the 2012 elections?

Though the 2012 elections will be keenly contested between the NDC and NPP based on achievements, one key issue that needs to be examined is the image of the personalities vying to lead the country.

It is a relevant and a legitimate concern that cannot be swept under the carpet.

Indeed, what kind of leader does Ghana need? Do we vote for a man of peace or a cowboy leader?

Leader of the United Renaissance Party (URP) Mr. Charles Kofi Wayo, praised the president for his moral uprightness which he described as unimpeachable. Adding that “this is the first time I have seen an African President that I have little hope in”.

If the intevention by kwaku baako is anything to go by, then President Mills is several miles ahead of Nana Addo.
Obviously, Ghanaians will prefer a God fearing leader to ‘’a boisterous and vindictive one’’.

Fallout from my survey suggested that Ghanaians are happy with the leadership style and humility of the current president, and also praised him for maintaining the democratic treasures of the country.

But the question a lot of the people ask is, who at all is a Western cow Boy who is trying to be President of Ghana? My guess may be as guess may be as good as yours.

A recent Press Release issued by  El-Vatt Association a multi-tribal grassroots think tank has described President Mills as ‘’a father of all Ghanaians without regard to ethnicity, religion nor party affiliation’’.

The think tank have commended the president for choosing humility over pomposity, people centeredness over self- centeredness, transparency over fraudulence, development over ostentation and above all choosing the truth over falsehood deceit.

On one occasion in Japan, a man I will call ‘Japan Burger’ for the purposes of this article, said, “Ghana’s President is a true man of God that must be respected and supported to transform Ghana even if it will take sixteen years”.

Perhaps ‘Japan Burger’ had taken note and counted the number of times the President mentions God in his speech.

It is a matter of fact that President Mills apart from political experience has a great advantage over his opponents and that is; his gentle spirit, humility, trust in God, the aura of honesty and sincerity that surrounds him.

Obviously these and other personal attributes and the high morality he exhumes is the nightmare of Nana Addo the presidential candidate of the opposition New Patriotic Party.
The question that will be on the lips of Ghanaians in 2012 electioneering campaign will be the issue of either voting for a man touted as God fearing and genuine or someone who people have said is morally unstable.

I remember a question posed by a trotro driver on my way to Adenta, we know we surely vote? But, whom shall we vote for?

John D. Macdonald once said, “Integrity is not a conditional word. It does not blow in the wind or change with the weather. It is your inner image of yourself, and if you look in there and see a man who won’t cheat, then you know he never will”.

Integrity is the watch word, and all seeking political power must as a matter of urgency try and cultivate it.

It is indeed sad that some aspiring leaders in our part of the world always fail the test for moral uprightness.

Story by: Samuel Ablordeppey
 samuelablordepey@yahoo.com