Sunyani (B/A) Dec. 22, GNA – Concerned Members, a group within the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Brong-Ahafo Region, on Wednesday deplored the on-going campaign by some members of the party “to coerce” its flag bearer, Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo, to choose Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as his running-mate for the 2012 presidential election.

The group at a news conference in Sunyani described the choice of Dr. Bawumiah, an economist, for the 2008 election as “a mistake” and appealed to Nana Akufo-Addo not to repeat “such a mistake that will force the NPP into a political grave” in 2012. Mr. Ata Banasam, spokesperson, said if Brong-Ahafo Region was given the running-mate slot, “it will definitely offer the NPP a leverage that would beat our opponents to the game”. He emphasised that the group did not have anything against Dr. Bawumiah, his personality or credentials. “As the major opposition party, the NPP needs a running mate who is loyal, committed and courageous to stand up to all forms of intimidation in the 2012 electioneering campaign. “The person must be someone who has been in the trenches with the rank and file of the party, committed to the ideals and cause of the NPP, down to earth and accepted by the rank and file,” the spokesperson said. Mr. Banasam explained the dynamics that fashioned the 2008 general election had changed and factors that worked then might not work today. “The circumstances for your selection as flag bearer in 2008 were completely different from those of 2010 where over 100,000 members gave you an overwhelming endorsement,” he said. The spokesperson observed that Ghanaians had come to understand that the “North-South and Muslim-Christian” ticket might not be necessary after all and that if there should be any good reason to choose anyone for running-mate, the major consideration must be that it would translate into more votes”. “We will support anyone you will choose as running-mate but please choose the one who will be easy for us to take to the people of Ghana to ask for their votes with the onset of the electioneering campaign,” Mr. Banasam added. Using results of the 2008 election to buttress his point for the running mate to come from the Brong Ahafo Region, Mr. Banasam said out of the 24 constituencies in Brong-Ahafo the NPP won in 15 seats and also won first round of the presidential election with 51 per cent but dropped to 49 per cent in the run-off with a difference of about 6,000 votes. Out of the 49 constituencies in Northern, Upper East and Upper West regions, the NPP won only seven seats and lost in a bye-election to make it six, he said. In the presidential election, Mr. Banasam said, the NDC won 56 per cent in the first round in the three northern regions with NPP obtaining 37 per cent, but the NPP’s votes slumped in the runoff with NDC’s share jumping to 62 per cent. “If you do cost-benefit analysis, you get a clear picture that puts Brong-Ahafo Region far ahead of the three Northern regions put together.” Mr. Banasam appealed to the NPP flag bearer and the party’s hierarchy, therefore, to look for a running mate especially from Brong-Ahafo who was resourceful and could win more votes for the party towards an overwhelming victory next year.