The Communications Director of the opposition New Patriotic Party, Nana Akomea, has urged party members and supporters who are lobbying for particular persons to be selected as the running mate of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to channel their energy into activities that will rather win more support for the party ahead of the 2012 elections.
The 2012 Presidential Candidate of the NPP, Nana Akufo-Addo, is expected to select his running mate by the 2 nd quarter of 2012, six months into the 2012 general elections.
Some analysts believe six months is too short a period to provide enough exposure for the running mate, and to enable the person to make the needed contribution to the party’s campaign.
But, in an interview with the New Statesman yesterday, Nana Akomea maintained that selecting the running mate six months into the election would not have any negative effect on the party’s campaign.
“I think the decision to select our running mate at that time is a good one because serious campaign can go on without the running mate. It is the flagbearer who is central to the organization of the party. Once you have a flagbearer, the party can galvanize support around him, and so I think selecting the running mate six months into the election will not do anything bad to our determination to win back power in 2012,” the NPP Communications Director opined.
Monday, the leadership of the party issued a statement cautioning individuals and groups within the party to refrain from canvassing or lobbying for particular persons to be selected as the running mate to the party’s 2012 presidential candidate, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
According to the statement signed by the party’s General Secretary, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, at a National Executive Committee meeting held on May 24, 2011, “it was decided that no individual or group of persons should be heard or seen to be canvassing for a particular person to be chosen as the Running Mate of Nana Akufo-Addo, the Flagbearer of NPP.”
The statement explained: “The position of NEC is that the Running Mate position is not an elective position whereby campaigning and canvassing for vote is required. The NPP Constitution has clear guidelines on choosing the Running Mate.”
Nana Akomea explained what informed the decision taken by the party: “We want to avoid what happened in 2008, where various groups, with spokespersons, decided to go to the extent of using some media houses to champion the cause of some people who were desirous of becoming Nana Addo’s running mate. Those who are lobbying for their preferred choices should rather concentrate on supporting the party’s activities at all levels, as we all wait patiently for Nana Addo and the party leadership to select the running mate at the appropriate time.”
The statement assured members and supporters of the party that the guidelines set out to regulate the selection of a running mate would be diligently followed, adding that “an appropriate, suitable and acceptable person would be announced as Nana Addo’s running mate by the 2 nd quarter of 2012.”
“Until then, we humbly request all individuals or groups of individuals, Interest groups, Fan clubs and/or Associations etc to desist from the practice of canvassing or lobbying for a particular person. The practice whereby certain groups issue statements and publications in the media in support of a particular person must cease with immediate effect,” the statement directed.
It further warned that “refusal to heed to our humble plea above may result in the application of severe sanctions against such persons or groups of persons or the so-called ‘candidate’.”
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