Do not change NPP Veep candidate -leading Party member

Sunyani, May 30, GNA - Nana Obiri Boahen, a leading member of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has cautioned the rank and file of the party not to harbour the slightest idea of replacing the Vice President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama as the President's running mate for the December elections.

"It will be politically suicidal for the NPP to make the slightest attempt to change the Vice President", he said adding, "Some of us are even surprised that such an idea should even be nurtured at this time, the party needs a unity of purpose to focus on the upcoming elections".

Nana Boahen, who is also one of the five candidates challenging the Senior Minister, Mr. J. H. Mensah for the Sunyani East seat of the party was speaking to newsmen about the recent developments about, who the President should choose as a running mate in the December elections. He stated that all those within the party who are nurturing ambitions of becoming Vice President should shelve such an ambition till 2006 when the party would go for another congress to choose its Presidential candidate.

Nana Boahen stated, "at this time of the party's history, what is needed is for us to forge ahead with a common front, unity, singleness of purpose which would enable us to retain power."

He noted that such an action would secure the purpose of the party now and the foreseeable future, "rather than some people with an over bloated ego to suggest that the President should change the Vice President".

Nana Boahen noted that the Vice President is one of the few Vice Presidents in Ghana and even Africa who have been able to perform creditably and should rather be given a pat on the back.

He noted that it would be unfair for some members of the party to think that the Vice President did not get enough votes for the party in the three northern regions during the 2000 general elections.

Nana Boahen stated that it is those who do not appreciate the nitty-gritty of the country's politics who think that the NPP should have done better than what it did during the last general elections. He said that the Vice President has carried himself well, by his performance, into the Ghanaian polity and needed to be given the second chance to further prove his capabilities.

Nana Boahen said that the NPP has done enough to bring hope to Ghanaians and would thus win the 2004 elections convincingly to continue its good works.

On his political ambition, he said, he hopeful to beat Mr. J. H. Mensah and the other contestants in the upcoming primaries and eventually win the Sunyani East seat. 30 May 04