Working to convince those from Region to merge
The next President will probably hail from the East. Yet, this probability is at a serious risk as the Eastern Region also has the highest number of people, most of them strong contenders, aspiring to become the presidential candidate for the ruling party for the December 2008 general elections.

It therefore comes as little surprise that the Eastern Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, Yaw Gyekye Amoabeng, has hinted that the regional executive body of the party is working behind the scenes to help reduce the number of the party’s presidential aspirants hailing from the Region.

There is a strong prevailing concern that the high number of aspirants from the Eastern Region, conservatively put at six, but stretchable to eight, could deny the Region the very probable opportunity to provide the nation with the next President.

The hope by the regional executives is to trim down the numbers to two or three persons. This may involve some serious hard negotiations. But, already there are signs that some of the aspirants involved may be amenable to some trading. Mr Amoabeng believes a merger of forces would better serve the needs of the party in the region and the nation as a whole, and make it easier for the region to compete in the presidential primary.

A high number of the strong candidates hail from the East. The Region has four Cabinet Ministers and two former Cabinet Ministers poised to file for the presidential nominations this year.

Nana Akufo-Addo, Hackman Owusu-Agyemang, Felix Owusu-Adjapong, Yaw Osafo-Maafo and Dan Botwe all are seen as strong contenders, with remarkable records of achievements and strong individual roots to the party.

A ranking outsider, the New York-based Vice President of the Bank of America, Boakye Agyarko also hails from the East.

He said the Region is very proud to have many capable presidential aspirants, but regretted that “there was the need for us to reduce the number in the best interest of the party.”

He added, “We have reached the stage where we will have to agree to disagree.” While conceding that everybody should have equal opportunity to lead the party, Mr Amoabeng stressed that there could be only one leader at a time, and therefore called on the various aspirants to do an assessment of their abilities and come together to support a candidate or two.

Already, there are signs of optimism that people like the Minister of Water Resources, Works & Housing, the Foreign Minister and the Majority Leader could come to some form of agreement.

Former Education Minister Yaw Osafo-Maafo and former Information Minister Dan Botwe have been extensively reported as already working together, though both are actively working as aspirants.

Apart from the above listed five names, there are two other Cabinet Ministers with some links to the East.

Mike Oquaye, Communications Minister, who represents an Accra constituency, Dome Kwabenya, claims a link to the Eastern Region. He was born and bred at Asamankese, where he still maintains very active links and commands a lot of respect and support.

While Papa Owusu Ankomah, Education Minister and MP for Sekondi is also keen to stress his Kwahu roots, through one of his parents.