Sunday, at the New Patriotic Party rally at the Koforidua Jackson Park, President John Agyekum Kufuor said the "campaign has began,? his clearest admission so far that 2007 is a campaign year, for all, including his Cabinet members. Equally significantly at Koforidua, he again repeated his message to those aspiring to be NPP presidential aspirants.

First, he told his party not to be alarmed by the high number of those seeking to contest, now placed at 16. He then added his voice to the view that when the filing of nominations is finally opened not more than ten people may pick up the nomination forms.

But, the President did not leave it there. He repeated a message he has given at every opportunity to meet his party since last November, that some of the aspiring presidential aspirants are simply not fully groomed enough in the party's tradition and political leadership to vie for the presidency.

He said that after his generation of leaders, the next in line are people like ?Nana Akufo-Addo, Hackman Owusu-Agyemang, Yaw Osafo-Maafo and Addo-Kufuor.? The President then went on to draw a clear distinction between this immediate succession group and the next generation of NPP leaders, which, in his view, include ?Alan Kyerematen and Dan Botwe.?

The message seemed very clear to those who heard it to the extent that one presidential hopeful could be seen walking to Alan Kyerematen afterwards with the friendly tease, ?The President says you will have your turn after me!? The implications of the President"s statement are analysed today in the Pulling No Punches column by our Editor-in-Chief who goes by the pen name Qanawu Gabby.

In his article, he analyses the omission of the Vice President?s name and the implication of the President coming out clearly in a way which seems to pour cold water on the presidential ambition of the Trade & Industry Minister, who for long has been touted as being groomed by the President for the succession.

Our columnist also names eight people he believes would be left standing once the bell for the contest proper strikes. Notable absentees on his list include Mike Oquaye, Kwabena Agyapong, Arthur Kennedy, Boakye Agyarko and Effah-Dartey.