NDC and NPP set for Election 2012

Ghana’s two major political parties, the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) have set the stage for an electoral show-down by maintaining Election 2008 status quo for December 2012 general election.

The NDC retained Election 2008 Presidential ticket of Professor John Evans Atta Mills and Mr John Dramani Mahama while NPP’s flagbearer Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo chose his running mate for Election 2008, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, for the impending electoral battle for the nation’s highest office.

Nana Akufo-Addo on Thursday retained Dr Bawumia, Former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Ghana as his running mate while President Mills in August last year retained his Vice, Mr Mahama as running mate for the 2012 general elections after a landslide primaries’ victory.

Speaking to newsmen in Accra, Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, NPP National Chairman, explained that the choice of Dr Bawumia was to help the “President,” manage the national economy better.

Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey said the flag-bearer considered the Economist as the ideal choice, among the lot, to help him deliver on his vision and deliver Ghana from her problems.

“But probably, more importantly, is that the greatest problem facing this country is the management of the economy, and using the economy to create the jobs that our young people need.

“In that exercise, should Nana Akufo-Addo be chosen as the President, Dr Bawumia is the excellent person, excellent choice in helping him to deliver a bigger economy that will create more jobs that will absorb our young people”.

The NPP National Chairman said the flag-bearer’s choice was supported unanimously by the National Council including Former President John Agyekum Kufuor and Vice President Aliu Mahama.

He refuted allegations that the NPP lost Election 2008 because of Dr Bawumia, stressing, the “pair won the first round but lost in the run-off, and that Dr Bawumia cannot be held responsible for the defeat.

“The reason we lost the election has nothing to do with the ticket but for other reasons. And those reasons are part of the reasons why the flag-bearer decided to consider him once again”.

In August, last year, President Mills after a crunch National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting agreed that Vice President Mahama be retained as the running mate.

The Peoples National Convention (PNC) last February elected Mr Hassan Ayariga, as the party’s flag bearer for the December general elections.

Other parties including the Convention People’s Party, Great Consolidated Popular Party, Democratic People’s Party, and Progressive Peoples Party are yet to go to congress.**