NPP running mate: The party must avoid 'double experimentation'

The battle for who becomes the running mate to the indefatigable and affable, Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia in his noble quest to sustain power for the New Patriotic has swung into full gear with many settling on the Ashanti Region as the obvious enclave from where the most suitable running mate may be picked, and also giving names of potential 'Picks' for the slot.

As a concerned citizen, I deem this an appropriate occasion to sound a word of caution to the NPP not to make any mistake by engaging in what the pundits may refer to as 'Double Experimentation' in any shade, and/or form, in their quest to choose who partners their Flagbearer into election 2024.

Without a doubt, it is an admissible fact that the party has chosen the first-ever Northerner to lead them into a general election of its kind. It is also without a shred of doubt that a Muslim shall be seeking the mandate of a predominantly Christian-dominated country to become the Leader for the first time in its political history, at least, after the 1957 independence.

Bearing in mind all these attributes, the New Patriotic Party, as a political party, must jealously guard the selection of who partners their Flagbearer with an eagle eye, so the NPP, and mother Ghana at large, do not engage in what the pundits would term 'The Double Experimentation’..... a situation where both the President and his Vice cannot be assessed from a well-grounded practical or proven experiences in the areas of maturity, political experience, emotional control, submissiveness, religious/cultural intelligence, and above all an experience in good governance to complement each other during such leadership period. In actual fact, one expects the selected Running mate to complement the Leader effectively in his grey areas.

Given the above, I would humbly suggest that whoever partners the duly elected Flagbearer must bear the following qualities:

Enough parliamentary experience:

Since the existence of an effective and efficient parliament remains the only difference between an autocratic/authoritarian and a democratic regime, such a person must be well-grounded in the nitty-gritty of parliamentary proceedings. This will help maximize collaboration between the executive arm of government and the legislative arm which shall result in the speedy but accurate execution of government businesses in the august house. This shall also assist the President in dealing with a probable situation of a near 'hung' Parliament, should the situation persist stands today.

Party leadership:

Since the Party provides the foundation upon which the government's continuous stay in power is mounted, the running mate must be somebody with a proven track record of effective/efficient party leadership experience, with a combined Cabinet, National Executive Committee, the Steering Committee, a Regional, and most importantly, the grassroots mobilisation skills. Such a candidate can complement the Leader in areas of Party/Government relationship, a situation that has become topical during the period, and keeps lingering onto the election 2024 as far as the NPP fortunes are concerned.

Compatibility:

The person to be chosen must be somebody who shall accept to play a complementary role to the elected Leader. He must not be seen to lord himself over the elected Leader. Thus reducing, and/or eliminating, any potential power struggle between the two. Such a person must, therefore, have exhibited a strong ability to work with others in the past.

In-depth knowledge about the central management of an economy:

As the potential Chairman of the Economic Management Team that shall serve as an advisory body to the Cabinet, the choice of the running mate must be linked to an in-depth knowledge of the economy from a very central perspective of proven experience in good governance.

As a concerned citizen, I sincerely believe that the person with the most conforming values to the above credentials shall present the New Patriotic Party with the much-needed leverage to leap over their upcoming task in 2024 and also to see through the policies and programs of their elected Leader in the next administration for the betterment of mother Ghana.

I leave the power to choose in the bosom of the elected Leader, HE Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, as enshrined in the party's constitution.