Politics is a game of numbers. And in a country like Ghana where ethnic identity is well entrenched in our politics, ethnicity plays a significant place in the politic. So the current debate as to whether Aliu Mahama should be maintained as Kufuor?s running mate is neither here nor there. Aliu Mahama had all the opportunities to become the next president of Ghana granted that the NPP would be winning the elections. But he blew up all the opportunities and chances due to his political naivety, stupidity and simple mindedness.

He was brought from nowhere to be Kufour?s running mate in the 2000 elections. Before that, he was a road and building contractor in Tamale. His company, Lidra construction Company Limited was and still noted for shoddy jobs. He was also the main financier of the Abudu clan in the Dagbon chieftaincy divide.

During his first visit to Tamale after assuming the veep position, he was asked if he would still meddle in the Dagbon chieftaincy. He said it was now time for Dagombas to put the past behind them and forge ahead. He said nothing could be done about the kingship since the Supreme Court had already ruled on it and that it was only a non-constitutional government that can reverse the decision of the Supreme Court.

Many Northerners, particularly Dagombas rallied behind him. After his first year in office, he started tagging some Dagombas as non-Abudu sympathizers and therefore wanted to have very little doing with them. He began to surround himself with chieftaincy advisors instead of professional advisors culminating to the March 27, 2002 massacre at the Gbewaa Palace.

This has polarized Dagbon to an extent that you are either with the Andani or Abudu. There is no middle course. 2004 elections are going to be based on these issues in Dagbon and even beyond. And Aliu Mahama, who has been identified as a nucleus of one of the factions is definitely going to repel votes. He is note a team builder. He cannot attract any votes for the NPP in Dagbon, which has 11 out of the 23 constituencies (old) in the northern region.

Politicians being opportunists would make maximum use of the Yendi crisis. Definitely, it is not the NPP who would benefit from the Yendi crisis. If the Yendi issue was not tampered with by the NPP, the NDC would have been a dead party in Northern region, especially the Dagbon area.

The veep after having destroyed Dagbon, wanted to do same at Bimbilla with the Nanumbas.

He is not a popular choice among the Muslim community. I doubt if he can say a successful prayer or recite any chapter of the Quran.

The vice president is not intelligent to convince any person in a debate. I wonder if he has read any book after he left the University.

All want the vice president is interested is his contracts. He still signs LIDRA cheques and takes away contracts from qualified contactors for his company.

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