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Nana Akufo-Addo failed to get his initial choice of Malik Yakubu Alhassan endorsed by the party’s leadership in 2008. |
Malik Kweku Baako, an aficionado of Nana Akufo-Addo for president, has revealed that the NPP’s flag-bearer is likely to choose Dr Mahamudu Bawumia as his running mate for the 2012 general elections.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Newsfile on Saturday, he stressed: “From all I know or heard, from very reliable sources, as we speak, the flag-bearer is more inclined to retaining the 2008 ticket, seeking consistency…and it makes sense to me politically.”
Though he fell short of providing his sources, Mr Baako also said he is reliably informed that some bigwigs within the NPP are also jostling to have the Member of Parliament for Lawra-Nandom, and Deputy Minority Leader in Parliament Ambrose Dery nominated.
“Very powerful forces within the party are rooting for Dery; very powerful forces, and indeed, it is a fact that Dery’s main constituency is parliament, which is big; so it is going to be an interesting thing,” he revealed.
Some of the names that have so far popped up for nomination are Alan Kyeremanten, Prof. Ameyaw Ekumfi and Alhaji M.N.D Jawula.
According to Mr Baako, he is privy to “well-prepared documents” from the party highlighting the strength and weaknesses of potential candidates. But was convinced the running mate position would be a two-horse race between Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and Ambrose Dery.
He also rejected claims that Dr Bawumia fail to win in his own backyard in the north, saying Akufo-Addo in 2008 did better than former President Kufuor in the three northern regions.
Former Communications Director of the NPP and the party’s parliamentary candidate for Obuasi, Kwaku Karteng said religion and ethnic background play a major role in selecting a running mate in the NPP, noting the NPP settled on Bawumia in 2008 because he was a Moslem.
He said the party had agreed to delay the nomination to rather concentrate on building party structures.
He said so far as the presidential candidate, Nana Akufo-Addo, is well marketed, the issue of running mate less troubles the party.
Meanwhile, Dr. Kpesah White, lecturer, University of Ghana, said issues of religion and ethnic origin should not be too relevant in selecting a running mate.
“The idea is that, we need to be able to focus on people who can explain to us; going forward, how do we take the traffic of our roads? How do we deal with our healthcare system when people are dying on day-to-day basis? How do we deal with a school system that does not promise our children any future or whatsoever? How do we deal with our social security and housing system?
“And these things, simple strategy, simple policy solution that makes common sense and how we can increase our revenue base to deal with the problems, candidate who speak these things should be the candidate we should be looking out for.”