<<Print>>

Outspoken New Patriotic Party Member of Parliament for Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa, Hon. Paul Collins Appiah-Ofori has expressed extreme discomfiture at the possibility of Nana Akufo-Addo picking Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as his running mate again for the 2012 elections. According to him, he is pained at the mere prospect of Dr. Bawumia partnering Nana Addo because he (Bawumia) will not attract any votes to the party since he is a liability. He argues that a running mate is supposed to complement the efforts of the presidential candidate, but as far as he (Appiah-Ofori) is concerned, Dr. Bawumia failed to add anything to the votes of the NPP in the three northern regions in 2008. Speculations have been rife that the economic guru might get the nod again to run with Nana Addo on the NPP ticket for 2012. What perhaps has lent credence to the grapevine tale is the report that Dr Bawumia has resigned his position as the Zimbabwean Country Director of the Africa Development Bank (ADB). Speaking in an interview on OKAY FM�s Ade Akye Abia Morning show, the NPP MP said he doubt reports that Dr. Bawumia resigned from his position in the ADB because his appointment as a running mate is now a certainty. He opined that Dr. Bawumia may be venturing into a different business or perhaps preparing to become the new governor of the Bank of Ghana but not necessarily Nana Addo�s running mate. ��If it is true that Nana Addo has picked him as his running mate, then it is rather unfortunate. We need a running mate who will help bolster the chances of the flagbearer by garnering more votes�that is why we select someone from the North�When he (Bawumia) was appointed in 2008, the NPP even lost in his own hometown�.He (Nana Addo) doesn�t listen to advice, instead of going for someone who can help us secure more votes to win the elections, he is going for someone because he is an economist. If it is true that he is going to choose him again, then I�m dead set against it,� he reiterated.