As this year gradually elapses, the country is gradually plunging herself into the campaign year where all the political parties would be mounting up strategies to overtake its competitors in the wrestle for power. Recently, the NPP Presidential candidate, Nana Akuffo Addo, has had some of his party functionaries suggesting a suitable running mate for him while others say it is at the behest of Nana Addo to choose who runs with him during the 2012 elections.

The call on the NPP Presidential candidate to select a running mate who could make the dream of the party materialize has brought to light the question of whether a Muslim is best suited for the Vice Presidency or the Presidency.

A while ago, the Islamic Youth Brigade (IYB) issued a statement to this effect stating the need for a political balance among all ethnic groups, tribes, and religions. The group expressed their resentment over the misuse of religion for political gains intimating that it is ³alarmed about the bigotry of those who insist that only a Muslim can be selected as a running mate and the tokenism of those who see the selection of a Muslim as a means of capturing votes from the Islamic community.²

They further said Muslims are citizens of the country with the right to vote and be voted for and so, they equally deserve to head the state. Mohammed Dauda Suru, speaking on behalf of the group, reiterated the need for all political parties and the entire citizenry to desist from the weak claim that Muslims are incapable of aspiring for the highest office of the country.

He said that the argument whether a Muslim should be the President-elect of the country should be issue-based but not superficially looked at it from the political lenses. He pointed out that every Muslim should be given an equal chance to run for the Presidential slot and kicked against the discrimination against the Muslim community.

But a member of the New Patriotic Party, Mustafa Hamid, says nothing bars a mulsim from occupying the highest office of the land. Basing his point on the secularity of Ghana, he said Ghana consists of a vast bulk of Christians and this consequently might have contributed to the perception that a Muslim cannot vie for the Presidency.

He however discounted such claim describing it as a ³superficial² analysis of the Presidential slot. According to him, there is no evidence proving that the Presidential seat excludes Muslims; therefore, it is an indictment on the Muslim community for anyone to say that they cannot run the Presidential race.

He disclosed that without the intervention of the Kuffour-led NPP, Muslims would not have attained the top spot in the politics. ³In the NPP, we have made a conscious effort to make Muslims an integral part of our party structure?and therefore for everything that we do, we have the Muslims in perspective.²

³But for the NPP, we would not have had a Muslim swearing by the Quran into the high office of the Vice President of the republic of Ghana. Since actually 1979, the NPP and its antecedent party have actually made it a policy, if you want, an unwritten convention that we will always balance our ticket between the Christian fraternity and the Muslim fraternity.² To him, Muslims playing the role of the Vice President is a confirmation that a Muslim can one day be voted for into the Presidential seat but would support a 10-year period for any Muslim who aspires to head the country. He explained that there is no distinction between Islam and the state and as a result, we (Ghanaians) ³play out our religion strongly in politics.² Touting Ghanaians as tolerable people, he said Ghanaians have shown love and unity among themselves and for that matter religion should not decide who gets the nod into the castle.

He urged Muslims to do their homework well but not count their luck or misfortune on their religion.

Meanwhile, a group called the GaDangme Youth Association has descended heavily on the NPP MP for Suame and Minority Leader, Osei kyei Mensah Bonsu, for what they say is offensive to the GaDangmes.

In a press statement on December 13, 2011, the group accused the Minority Leader of making certain unpleasant comments on the airwaves which according to them is a dent on their image. The GaDangme youth stated clearly that no tribe should be underrated in relation to the Presidential race and are demanding an apology from the NPP Minority Leader.

It therefore appears Ghana would have to address these distortions since she thrives on democracy. Story by Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/X fm 95.1/Accra/Ghana