For The Ndc Flagbearer For Election 2012.

It is in the supreme interest of the National Democratic Congress(NDC) coupled with the onus on us as Missionaries of Peace and Unity(MOPU) that we deem it appropriate and incumbent to caution the entire leadership of the NDC, most importantly the new flagbearer H.E John Dramani Mahama in the selection of his running mate for the 2012 elections. This is to ensure that the one to be selected will be one who’s candidature will forge Unity for the NDC as he/she partners the flagbearer to be able to win the December elections.
We must congratulate the President for the overwhelming endorsement he received at the recent emergency congress of the NDC. This indeed is the first appropriate step and also the wisest decision taken by delegates to follow the trajectory of success for the December elections. It is also imperative that we realize the need for a very efficacious and potent political stalwart to serve as a running mate to our flagbearer especially in the current circumstances, where we have about three months to elections. Considering the short time we have for the December elections, it will be a political disadvantage for the NDC to attempt choosing a running mate who is not popular at the grassroots. The exigencies of time will not allow the NDC to experiment with a running mate at the peril of it success in the coming elections. This requires the Flagbearer and the leadership of the party to rise and come to terms with the realities on the ground and make a very wise choice to help win the December elections.
A careful and objective analysis of the choice of most NDC members for the position of the Vice President when there was a lacuna last month was not Mr. Paa Kwesi Amissah Arthur, Considering the names which came out strongly for discussions even in the media. This shows that the expectation of the majority in the party was dashed. It is agreeable that the President reserved the right to make his own choice which he made. We must also know that we are going into an election and therefore the choice of the flagbearer affects everyone in the party as far as campaign is concerned. The choice should not be entirely in the interest of the flagberear but the supreme interest of the party. The President’s choice of a running-mate might be Mr. Paa Kwesi Amissah Arthur. But he should also be ready to secede his personal choice for the safety of the NDC in the coming elections. Mr. Amissah Arthur has played his role in the NDC as a technocrat and there is no contention about this fact. But we have to remind ourselves of the fact that he will need some time to acclimatize himself with the frontline campaign dynamics to be able to exert the force needed to pool more votes. Time is our enemy now. Considering the time left for elections, the NDC needs a running mate who is popular at the grassroots and also with the goodwill of the people. A person with frontline campaign experience is needed to help H.E John Mahama pool more votes to win the elections. Moreover, we also feel that this is an opportunity for the flagbearer to bring on board someone who’s candidature will facilitate the peace and unity process he has started with the founder. The NDC as a party cannot afford to go into the elections without the active participation of former President Rawlings, considering its repercussions. We cannot pretend that H.E Amissah Arthur can do this kind of magic for the NDC within this three months. Dr. Bawumia of the NPP has now grown to be a politician with teeth. He is busily on regional tours galvanizing support for the NPP whilst H.E Amissah Authur is also busy with national assignment. We must also be reminded again that we do not need an economic guru to be a running mate for the NDC to succeed in its tenure in office. Technocrats can always operate in governance not necessarily in the capacity as Vice President. We must not allow the professional orientation of Dr. Bawumia to coerce the NDC into selecting someone in such professional similitude. The NDC may be embarking on an overt political suicide mission if H.E. Paa Kwesi Amissah Arthur is considered as running mate for this year’s elections to face stalwarts like Nana Akuffo Addo and Dr. Bawumia of the NPP. These two gentlemen of the NPP should not be underestimated. Missionaries of Peace and Unity (MoPU) must state emphatically that we have no dislike for H.E. Paa Kwesi Amissah Arthur as a person. The supreme interest of the party and the country should be our pre-occupation and not individual interest. The NDC cannot be living in illusions that all will be well if the Vice-President is considered as a running mate for the December elections. The party leadership must take decisions that will inure to the success of the party in these crucial times rather than try to follow the path of the NPP by focusing on economic gurus. The basic and primary aim of the NDC now is to be able to win political power to continue the good work of Prof. Mills. We as Missionaries of Peace and Unity (MoPU) in the NDC will want to appeal passionately to the flagbearer of the NDC H.E John Dramani Mahama and the entire leadership of the Party to hearken to this genuine concerns and take appropriate steps to ensure that the running mate to be chosen will be a political figure who will resonate with the grassroots, have admiration across board and also stand in the position to attract the founder to the campaign trail. It is our prayer that God almighty grants the flagbearer H.E John Mahama the wisdom to make decisions that will foster cohesion,peace and unity, and subsequently give birth to electoral victory for the NDC.

Afulimi Robert,
Signed
Convener, Missionaries of Peace and Unity (MOPU)
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