Immediate past Vice-Chancellor (VC) of the University of Ghana, Prof. Ernest Aryeetey has shot down rumors that he was poached to be the running mate of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in the 2012 Presidential elections.

After the 2008 electoral defeat and re-election of Candidate Nana Akufo-Addo as the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) flagbearer, the party had a long debate deciding on possible presidential running-mate.

It would be recalled that in the build-up to 2012 presidential election when there was lobbying for a Ga native to partner Akufo-Addo, reports were rife that Prof Aryeeteh who was then VC of Ghana’s premier university was named among the ‘shortlisted’ possible running-mates.

But speaking to Kwabena Kyenkyenhene Boateng on ‘21 minutes with KKB’, the economist vehemently dismissed the rumours, adding that he neither expressed interest nor was approached for the job former deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr. Mahmud Bawumia now holds.

According to him, he has never had the appetite to hold any political office.

“I’m not interested in politics but I’m very interested in discussing political issues and have views about anything in this country. I’m not interested in holding office and I have never discussed with anybody the possibility of holding office,” he said.

On whether he has now considered being a running mate, the vibrant academic who has championed massive infrastructural development on the University of Ghana campus responded in the negative.



“I’m a very happy man. I look back on the last 6 decades and I think I have come quite far with what God has given. I’m happy with where I am. I don’t believe every Ghanaian has to be in government before making contribution to the country’s advancement,” he told host, Kwabena Kyenkyenhene Boateng.