Several persons within the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have expressed their intentions; directly and indirectly to contest for various positions within the party. That is very good for the internal democratic credentials of the NPP.

However, what is of utmost interest to all in NPP and even Ghanaians at large is who will lead the NPP for the 2012 Presidential Elections. In the face of all the names making the rounds I am of the opinion that, the very best thing that can ever happen to the NPP is to have the former Vice-President his Excellency Alhaji Aliu Mahama lead the NPP into the 2012 Elections.

For now it is unclear if the former Vice President Aliu Mahama intends to contest for the flagbearership of the NPP or not but I am of the view that, the NPP and its elders must endeavour to woe him to lead the Party in the 2012 elections for reasons I will unveil in this write up.

I honestly do not see why the NPP should be looking else where for who to lead it when it still has in its midst a former Vice-President who to me is the most popular politician within the NPP who has the potential to lead the party for victory in 2012. Especially so, since President Kufour as we all know can not contest for the Presidency of Ghana for now unless the constitution of Ghana is amended.

We have to understand that, the issue confronting the NPP is not about who leads it but who will be acceptable to all Ghanaians and especially the electorate and therefore bring the NPP back to power in 2012. It will be very easy to market the former Vice President than any candidate within the NPP. I will give some reasons why I think it should be former Vice President Aliu Mahama. Anybody can also give reasons why it must be his or her preferred candidate in a much civilised way. In other that we don’t start any mudslinging in the media. I see the former Vice-President to be the apparent person to lead the party. Having served as Vice President for eight years, experience of which none of the other persons whose names are popping up has, I see him as most qualified to lead the party. It is therefore my wish that, all in NPP for the sake of the party will rally behind him, with all honesty and sincerity and burry all arrogance, and also genuinely work hard to support him win power for the NPP in 2012.

There is a party here in the United Kingdom a fascist and racist’s party known as the British National Party (BNP) whose membership is only opened to white British people with Cambridge educated Nick Griffin as its leader. Some people see the NPP to be Ghana’s replica of the BNP the reason being that, since the party was formed its presidential Candidate has never gone outside the Akan tribe of Ghana in other words beyond the Brong Ahafo region of Ghana!

The time has come to demystify this negative perception, and the only way this can be done is to woe and rally behind former Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama to lead the NPP into the 2012 elections. I disagree with those who think that, persons with ministerial experiences can lead the party but are yet to come to the reality that, if Ministers can lead the NPP then Vice Presidents who have served the party and Ghana for eight years and acted as presidents on countless occasions should be the very best if not the automatic leaders of the party.

Also the former Vice-President is so humble and very down to earth these are glaring qualities that Ghanaians will love to see in a future President and I am happy that the NPP is lucky to already have in its midst such a person. It is just about sending a delegation to him to tell him that the NPP will like him to lead it for the elections of 2012 and I don’t think he will turn it down.

Aliu Mahama in my view also has the potential to attract national acceptability than the current names making the rounds. What matters now is the nation not the party. So in deciding who should lead the NPP there should not be any stereotyping in favour of any tribe. Let the NPP shame all those who said the last time that, over 17 people coming out to challenge a sitting Vice president was more of an ethnic issue than it was a democratic issue. No wonder some of them asked if the former Veep were to be an Akan he would have being challenged in the last Congress of the NPP to pick its candidate.

Another reason why I think it must be Aliu Mahama for the NPP in 2012 is that, his appointment or election will unite the NPP more than any of the names making the rounds. And since a united party accounts for success at elections it should be a matter of formality that he be approached to lead the party.

It is also my view that, his overwhelming experience as veep for eight years which nobody in the NPP has for now should be another asset for him and why the NPP must go for him without any unnecessary scepticism.

I will conclude this first set of reasons why I think the NPP must go for Aliu Mahama as its candidate in 2012 and continue the other reasons in subsequent parts of articles.

Akilu Sayibu UK

Email: Akilu.Sayibu@live.uwe.ac.uk