Of all the names making rounds as possible running mate for the opposition New Patriotic Party’s flag bearer, Nana Akuffo Addo, pollster, Ben Ephson says a repetition of Dr Mahamudu Bawumia for 2012 will work magic.

There are information that Nana Addo is likely to retain Dr Bawumia as his running mate for the 2012 general elections; however, information are also that some bigwigs within the NPP are also jostling to have the Member of Parliament for Lawra-Nandom, and Deputy Minority in Parliament, Ambrose Dery nominated.

Other names that have popped up for possible nomination include Alan Kyeremanten, Prof Ameyaw Ekumfi and Alhaji M. N. D. Jawula.

But Ben Ephson who also is the Managing Editor for the Daily Dispatch newspaper says Nana Addo and the NPP will save many votes if Dr Bawumia is maintained because there would not be any negative campaigning tactics from opposition parties since all negative tactics had already been carried out in 2008.

Speaking on the Big Bite on Xfm 95.1 Monday morning, Mr Ephson said, “unless, between 2009 and 2011, something else had come up; I think one advantage of maintaining a candidate, is that any dirt that is possible to be thrown on the person has already been done. Looking at how close the elections were, Bawumia will definitely bring more votes because there will be nothing to detract or deduct votes from the NPP”.

According to him, any other candidate apart from Dr Bawumia could plunge the party into defeat since there could be fresh scandals the NPP will have to deal with, which he says can have the tendency to take away some more votes.

Asked why the Nana Addo should repeat a running mate he lost the election with in 2008, Mr Ephson chided, “which is better, somebody you went with and lost by 40,000 votes or somebody you do not know who can deduct from the votes you are likely to have”?, adding, “of the three, I think Nana should go with Bawumia even though the final decision rests on him”.