INFORMATION picked up by The Chronicle indicates that the running mate for the flag bearer of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), Dr. Paa Kwesi Ndoum has been narrowed down to two prominent individuals. Apart from the fact that the Central Committee of the CPP met last Friday and have resolved to officially write to Dr. Edward N. Mahama, the leader and flag bearer of the People’s National Convention (PNC), this paper can report that the latest kid on the block is Ms. Anna Bossman, the acting Commissioner of the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ).

Impeccable sources close to the flag bearer of the CPP, Dr. Ndoum, told this paper that informal discussions were held between Ms Anna Bossman and representatives of Dr. Ndoum, and there are indications that she is the possible choice to partner Dr. Ndoum for the 2008 general elections.

According to party insiders, though the leadership of the party had as at last Friday resolved to officially write to Dr. Mahama, who is also a leader of the People National Convention (PNC), the campaign team of Dr. Ndoum has gone beyond that to rope in the CHRAJ boss.

This paper can report that the latest move to woo the CHRAJ boss was as a result of some misgivings expressed by some members of the CPP and that of die-hard Nkrumaihsts about the choice of Dr. Mahama.

At the Central Committee meeting at the party’s headquarters last Friday, varied opinions were expressed on the choice of Dr. Edward N. Mahama, but majority of the members agreed that though the selection of the running mate lied in the hands of the flag bearer, the choice of Dr. Mahama would help the fortunes of the CPP.

Prior to the meeting, this paper gathered that there were informal discussions between the two flag bearers on various occasions all in an attempt to bring the Nkrumahist parties together.

At Friday’s meeting of which Dr. Ndoum was also in attendance, a correspondence was to be communicated to Dr. Mahama through the party’s general secretary, Mr. Ivor Kobina Greenstreet.

In a further move to consolidate the party, the campaign team of Dr. Ndoum, which has the mandate to select and nominate the running mate after consultations, seems to have a soft spot for a woman running mate hence they have made the move to ‘court’ the CHRAJ boss in a bid to balance the gender equation.

According to a loyalist of Dr. Ndoum, the discussions between Annan Bossman and the CPP flag bearer was very fruitful considering the fact that the woman has a balanced tribal and ethnic background.

“Although, it is the wish of the CPP leadership to accept Dr. Edward Mahama, some forces are strongly working against him while the campaign team of Dr. Ndoum is also seriously working hard to woo the CHRAJ Boss, who has the pedigree, caliber, capacity and a balanced tribal and ethnic background,” a source told this reporter.

With barely few months for the political parties to go to the polls, it is only Prof. John Evans Atta Mills, who had selected his running mate in the person of Hon. John Dramani Mahama, the Bole-Bamboi legislator. John has since been working for the NDC and has represented the flag bearer at an energy seminar organized by the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi.

Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the flag bearer of the NPP is also yet to pick his running mate. The campaign team of Akufo-Addo says the partner would be announced by the end of August.