…Name Vice-Presidential candidate By Sept 30

Friction of the deepest dye has consistently been building between NDC founder Flt. Lt. J.J. Rawlings on one hand, and presidential candidate Prof. John Evans Atta Mils on the other, as to WHO and WHEN to choose a running mate with that Midas touch.

Insiders at the heart of the party’s machinery say the development has impacted negatively from a crisis to a possible tragedy that has the propensity to divide the hierarchy, while sending a rippling-effect on supporters down the party’s ladder.

Deep-throat sources say, the over-bearing influence of Flt. Lt. Rawlings in calling the shots in this very instance such that, the party will have to choose a running mate for Prof. Mills, looms shockingly large.

The former head of state is so hell-bent on naming a vice-presidential material at the present time that, it is understood he hates going past September minus the party filling the vacancy.

This, THE SUN understands is body, soul, and spirit against the personal conviction of the law professor, who figures a wait beyond the ruling NPP’s presidential elections on December 22, 2007 should set the NDC strategically well-placed for a winnable take-off.

The deepening crisis is assuming flighty dimensions for while a field of three, namely, smooth-talking John Dramani Mahama, previous running mate in 2004 Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni, and Betty Mould-Iddrisu (Mrs) are doing the impatient wait, time appears to be ticking painfully away.

Prof. Mills, according to flesh-on-skull sources, is firmly of the conviction that a final choice by the NPP will almost certainly inform the NDC, as to which of the three streams of candidates to choose for the 2008 battle.

Last week, THE SUN learnt that the Professor’s clever thought was set aside even before Flt. Lt Rawlings emplaned to South Africa, to participate in the late Steve Biko’s martyrdom celebrations.

Some big-wigs within the NDC quite close to Rawlings believe that, the generality of the party could benefit massively, if indeed the vice-presidential candidate is chosen well in advance of next month.

Their belief stems from the fact that the NPP is making a meal of political and economic life and therefore, a duo with vibrance at their finger-tips, a clever head over shoulders, and very mobile could quite naturally capitalize on the incalculable goofs.

They trust there would never be yet another opportune time to exploit the advantages thrown at their laps by the NPP, and so a younger vice-presidential material with great appeal should do the trick.

Last week, THE SUN heard that an utterly different-in-thought Prof. Mills was figuring with his team of advisers that, the idea never really sat well with them and were therefore gearing themselves for a give-and-take with the NDC founder.

Appearing to have a completely different set of thought-pattern, Mills aides say choosing a candidate at this very moment would almost likely be as if the NDC was setting the cart before the horse, in view of the upcoming December NPP election.

“Waiting to see where political leadership drifts to in the NPP is so essential to the idea of choosing a vice-presidential candidate that, the NDC cannot afford to put a foot wrong”, a Prof. Mills aide told THE SUN last week.

He informed further that the Professor is so deeply-immersed in the potency of the idea that, if even it means resisting the pressure from the former president so as to drive maximum result, he would gladly do that.

While the cross fertilization of ideas goes on between the moderates and the left wingers within the party, it does seem as if the Rawlings influence may well hold sway, even if it does not sit that well with Professor Mills.