Opinions of Friday, 27 January 2012
Columnist: Ahmed, Musah
For The 2012 NPP Ticket.
After Nana Akuffo Addo was elected as the flag bearer of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), many including both without the party have been concerned with who partners Nana Akuffo Addo on the NPP’s ticket for the 2012 general elections.
Ghanaians and even the whole world I believe, would have been clear in their minds as to who Nana Addo’s would be appointing as at the end of last year (2011), more especially when names like that of Mahamudu Bahumia (his running mate for the 2008 general election),Alhassan Haruna (Deputy Director of Metro TV), Hon. Ambrose Derry (the Deputy Minority leader), Alhaji M.B.A Jawula (former official under the erstwhile NPP Administration) and some others including Borniface Abubakar Siddiq (a former Minister for Works and Housing under Kuffour Administration) were suggested.
The leadership of the NPP comprising the Executive Committee and the Council of Elders were stagged in a ring of controvercy, as the names of Mahamudu Bawumia(Nana Addo’s 2008 running mate) and Alhassan Haruna of Metro TV were short-listed for consideration.
Others who had no serious backings were Italized, Underlined and subsequently deleted from the list, and were honorably pleaded with by the strong bones of the party (NPP).
The most difficult aspect of the choice making had to do with how Nana Addo would be made to rescind on his decision of giving Bawumia another chance of running with him, without forgetting the unflinching financial support given him by Bawumia during the NPP 2012 flag bearership contest, which saw him victorious over John Alan Kojo Kyeremateng.
Nana Addo, after being embattled with all sorts of reasons why he should consider Alhassan Haruna instead of Bawumia, could not see why he should betray Bawumia who funded a larger portion of his campaigning during their contest, though a member of the NPP Council of Elders had to declared his willingness to settle back Bawumia all the amount he spent in support of Nana Addo during that contest.
A reliable information I have gathered from one of the sides, indicate that because Nana Addo could not betray his financier, a committee was set to handle the matter in other to present a credible personality to partner Nana Addo, which finally presented Alhassan Haruna after a Majority of the committee members had voted in his favour.
The choice of Alhassan Haruna through out the choice-making processes was quite obvious among the leadership of the NPP, majority of whom were disregarding Bawumia’s vote-pulling capacity. But how can any fair minded person like Nana Addo in this case, suddenly forget of the massive financial contribution of Mahamudu Bawumia, who had help him get to where he is today.
I am certainly convinced that former President Kuffour and other Elders of the NPP, who were pressing for Alhassan Haruna have still not come to understand the unwillingness of Nana Addo to betray Bawumia by appointing Alhassan Harunaa, a reason why the announcing date has been moved from the set 5th January to 17th January and subsequently indefinate.
I present a case here that Mahamudu Bawumia is the man to partner Nana Addo, he had bought the slot during the NPP flag bearership contest, long time before Alhassan Haruna, the choice of former President Kuffour started planning machinations against the ruling NDC party representatives who appear on the Metro TV morning show (Good Morning Ghana). His actions pleased the leadership of the NPP and even the former Presindent Kuffour but could not override the financial support of Bawumia to Nana Addo.
Have the media and the public try to find out why former President Kuffour had to adress the media after the Tuesday, 17th January NPP cranch meeting with the flag bearer(Nana Addo),where he fail to announce his partner? Where was the Communication Director of the NPP? or is former President Kuffour the Communication director of the NPP, ahead 2012 election?
God bless our homeland Ghana.
Musah Ahmed.
Former President
(TEIN Kumasi Polytechnic Chapter)
0242-846857/ 0267-571107.