NPP under pressure to nominate running mate

NPP
under pressure to nominate running mate for Elections 2012 – EIU
By Frank Atiase



Accra, Oct. 24 - The United Kingdom’s Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) has
revealed that the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) is under internal
pressure to nominate its running mate for Elections 2012.

“The early announcement of the running mate for Elections 2012 by the National
Democratic Congress (NDC) has intensified internal pressure on the opposition NPP to
select a running mate earlier than it might have planned.
“Even though the NPP has long maintained that it will not announce a
running-mate for its flag bearer; Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, until mid-2012 the
early unexpected naming of Vice President Mahama for NDC has inject new life into
the discussion over the NPP’s choice,” the EIU stated in its October Country report.
According to the report speculation over who the NPP will choose as Nana
Akufo-Addo’s running mate has been ongoing since his selection as flag bearer in
2010.
However the naming of Vice President Mahama by the NDC has injected new life
into the discussion over the NPP’s choice, it remains unclear whether Nana
Akufo-Addo will retain his 2008 running-mate, Dr Mahamudu Bawunmia, or turn to
someone new in an effort to get the votes needed to beat President Mills next
year.
The EIU report also noted that some powerful political blocs within the NPP who
are pushing for Mr Alan Kwadwo Kyeremanteng to be considered for the slot of a
running mate.
“Mr Kyeremanteng has been a rival to Nana Akufo-Addo in the past, having been
defeated by him in two presidential primaries; selecting
Mr Kyeremanteng as running mate may help to heal long-standing divisions within the
NPP,” the EIU noted.
According to the EIU, selection of Mr Kyeremanteng who is neither a Muslim, nor
a personality from the northern part of Ghana poses a serious challenge to the NPP
as one or both of these qualities are unofficially recognised as necessary to
counter the image of the NPP as a southern party dominated by ethnic Akans.
The EIU report revealed that some major factions within the NPP also opposes
the retention of Dr Bawunmia, claiming that he did not bring in the additional votes
needed to help the NPP to victory in 2008.
The EIU maintained that the debate over the running mate of the NPP for
Elections 2012 will open up vulnerable questions for the NPP, and risks exposing
tensions within the party, as with the NDC in its battle over the flag bearer
contest.

The report also revealed that the naming of Vice President John Dramani Mahama
running mate to the president was based on his ardent and effective support for
President Mills and his ability to remain “free of political scandal while in
office”.

The EIU acknowledged even though there was no major political fallout from the
early nomination of Vice President Mahama to partner the President again in
Elections 2012 the continued presence of dissenting voices within the NDC indicates
that unity was yet to be fully achieved.

“As a consequence, Mr Mahama will be more or less a lone voice in the running
mate arena until the NPP puts someone forward, giving the NDC free rein,” the report
noted.