This is as authoritative as it can ever get. The NDC’s 2004 Presidential Candidate, John Evans Atta Mills now has a running mate, even though not freely chosen and still being kept under wraps. Investigations conducted by The Heritage newspaper have revealed that the party's National Chairman, Dr. Obed Asamoah, is literally imposing the Deputy General Secretary, Baba Jamal, on Prof. Mills as a running mate.
Baba Jamal is one of the 'Young Turks' currently making waves at the party's National Headquarters in Accra, and said to be a prot?g? of Dr Obed Asamoah.
According to The Heritage’s special "deep throat" at the very centre of the NDC, the acceptance of Dr Asamoah's man as the running mate of Professor Atta Mills is a pre-condition for his support for the Professor's second attempt to be the capo at The Castle, Osu.
According to the source, Jamal is being considered as a 'compromise candidate' to balance and satisfy both sides of the perceived Rawlings and Obed factions in the party. Party analysts also explain that the nomination of Jamal will satisfy the northern caucus who are bent on having a northerner to be the running mate.
However when Prof. Mills was asked a few weeks ago about rumours making rounds that he was considering running with John Mahama, MP for Bole/Bamboi, the NDC flag bearer jokingly remarked "since Ghanaians seem to be interested in Johns, I may go in for another John".
When The Heritage contacted Jamal, the potential running mate was diplomatic but evasive with his responses. He denied having been informed of the decision to run with Prof. Mills, adding, "whoever becomes the running mate is the sole prerogative of the presidential candidate". Baba Jamal however said if Prof. Mills decides to pick him, he would accept the offer in good faith.
Dr. Asamoah could, however, not be reached on his cell phone. But Baba Jamal is well known as one of his men. In fact he was one of the men for whom the NDC headquarters became a no-go area for sometime after the congress that elected Prof. Mills over Dr. Kwesi Botchwey.
Earlier, The Heritage, while nosing around for who had been chosen as the presidential running mate, polled views of the NDC faithful on the qualities they expect of the running mate to the 2004 flag bearer.
They were unanimous on the criteria that such a person must be politically correct with a "competitive environment" in politics, and must bring certain unique qualities to enhance the presidential slate by complementing the flag bearer as a solid and preferred candidate.
"He or she must have high moral fibre with a track record of credibility in public service. The running mate must be chosen on both merit and geographical spread with ethnic diversity", they said in apparent unanimity.
Opinions were, however, sharply divided on whether or not Mr Martin Amidu, the former Deputy Attorney-General who was Professor Mills' 2000 running mate, should be retained.
The pro-Amidu group said the man was thrown into the political ring in 2000 as a running mate and every one saw him and if Professor Mills has been retained, why not Amidu, who has experience and exposure?
The other side of the coin sees him, however, as not having "good human relations", and that past mistakes should not be repeated, as the expectation that his personality would help Professor Mills win in 2000 did not materialise.
"The fact that Professor Mills is being maintained does not necessarily mean Amidu should be maintained. He was given the chance and he did not utilise it. He is not a Muslim and that alone can affect the votes in the northern parts and other Muslim communities in the country", his detractors said.
However, the deputy youth organiser, Mr Ludwig Hlodze, was non-committal. He believed Amidu may or may not be maintained depending on the circumstances at the time of choosing the running mate, adding: "There are people who have the same abilities as Amidu and they may be considered as well".
