THE DEMOCRATIC Freedom Party (DFP) has opted to throw its weight behind the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) led Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in the December 28 presidential run-off.

According to the party's life patron, Dr. Obed Yao Asamoah, who lectured Prof. John Evans Atta Mills, the NDC Presidential candidate including, Prof. Kwesi Botcwhey, Mr. Tsatsu Tsikata, the incarcerated former GNPC boss and a host of legal gurus in the nation, noted that, he believes that Nana Akufo-Addo would provide a better leadership than Prof. Mills.

Speaking to The Chronicle in a telephone interview yesterday, after the party's General Secretary, Mr. Bede Ziedeng, the defeated Parliamentary candidate for Lawra Nandom, urged the supporters of the DFP to work for the NPP.

Dr. Asamoah, at the National Executive Council meeting held on Sunday, said it was unanimously decided that the DFP should join forces with the NPP to win the presidential run-off scheduled for December 28.

He said it was the view of the DFP that under the NPP, Ghanaians have benefited from macro-economic gains, stability of the foreign exchange and freedom which had allowed development without any interference, unlike the NDC era.

Dr. Asamoah, the longest serving Minister of Justice and Attorney-General under the NDC regime, indicated that human rights records under the NPP were far better, compared to that of the NDC.

He noted that the DFP abhored the 'dog eat dog' affairs of the NDC and the vicious attempts by some elements within the NDC to destroy people's hard earned property.

He cited the destruction of the Hotel located at Airport residential area under the reign of the NDC to buttress his argument.

Dr. Asamoah also told this paper that he had personally issued a statement in support of Nana Akufo-Addo and urged all supporters of the DFP to join hands with the NPP to win, but not to be on campaign platform with the NPP.

Asked whether he has hatred for Prof. Mills because of his constant attack that he cannot win any elections in Ghana, Dr. Asamoah stated otherwise. He said he had no personal hatred for Mills except that under NPP, the DFP and the nation will be free.

"I made a contrast between the NPP and the NDC and I believe that the NPP will make us grow rather than NDC. He expressed his distaste for the NDC's intolerance.

When asked about his opinion of Prof. Mills' good showing in the Central Region, he said "When I asked that Mills should work in the Central Region, they nearly killed me. He concentrated in the Central and it worked for them. He has made some progress but it is not a question of me being against him but my conscience, I believe that Nana Akufo-Addo can perform better than Prof. Mills," he said.

He therefore, appealed to members of the DFP to vote for the NPP, explaining further that, "It must be stated that our decision to support the NPP is not a merger and it is not to be on a common platform," he said.

Asked about Nana Addo's inability to seek justice for the Ghanaians who were killed in The Gambia, Dr. Asamoah expressed surprise about peoples' appreciation of the issue.

According to him, Akufo-Addo, as the Minister of Foreign Affairs cannot go to The Gambia and attack the government. To him, he has done everything possible within his domain to ensure justice for the Ghanaians.

The DFP Life patron also asserted that the impunity and the inflammatory statements from some members of the NDC was not the best, hence their decision not to align with them.

He said the climate of fear and the tendencies to submit to preposterous ideas and programmes made the NDC to even lose the Second Deputy Speaker position in parliament, during the second term of President Kufuor.

Meanwhile, controversy has rocked the party over its decision to support the NPP. Mr. Derrick Boateng, the DFP's National Youth Organizer was against the decision of the DFP to support the NPP. He said, he was not even aware of the National Executive meeting that took the decision.