Nana Addo Chooses Running Mate Today

After months of speculations, all is set for Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Presidential Candidate of the opposition New Patriotic Party, to choose the man who will partner him as his running mate for the December 7 polls. Information available to the New Statesman indicates that the National Council of the NPP is scheduled to meet on Tuesday, 17 January 2012, to among others, consider the man the flagbearer has nominated for the running mate position. The NPP�s Constitution gives the presidential candidate the prerogative to select his running mate, in consultation with the National Council of the party. It is only when the nominee has not been a member of the party for at least five years that the presidential candidate requires the express approval of the Council. The process for the selection of Nana Akufo-Addo�s running mate started in 2009. The party believes the pre-Council consultation has witnessed enough contributions from members to the DEBATE, which constitutes the first element of the running mate selection process. What is now left for the party is to DECIDE and DISCIPLINE. With the decision expected to be made tomorrow, party gurus such as Osei Bonsu Amoah, Member of Parliament for Aburi-Nsawam, believe all members of the party should ensure discipline and rally behind the presidential ticket �for immediate aggressive and well-focused campaign to commence towards the Victory December 7 agenda.� Speaking to the New Statesman yesterday, Mr OB Amoah urged the rank and file of the party �to respect and abide by the decision of Nana Addo and work together in all unity and sincerity to kick out the obviously confused and incompetent Mills-Mahama led NDC government from the corridors of power.� Several sources in the NPP say the nominee will come from one of four names that have gained grounds within the rank and file of the party: MND Jawula, Lepowura of the Kujolobito Gate of Lepo-Kpembe in the Northern Region; Ambrose Derry, Deputy Minority Leader and MP for Lawra/Nandom; Alhassan Haruna, Deputy Managing Director of Metro TV; and Mahamudu Bawumia, the 2008 running mate of Nana Addo. What is clear is that there will be no change, at least, in terms of the geographical background of the candidate. In anticipation of a running mate being selected this month, sources close to the Greater Accra Regional secretariat of the NPP, say the party is planning a regional rally where the running mate of Nana Akufo-Addo will be outdoored.