Let’s accept Nana’s choice

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Created on Friday, 30 March 2012 00:00

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-Let’s accept Nana’s choice- PC Ofori urges NPP

The Member of Parliament for Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa, Paul Collins Appiah Ofori, has called on the rank and file of the New Patriotic Party to whole-heartedly accept the decision by the party’s presidential candidate, Nana Akufo-Addo, to maintain Mahamadu Bawumia as his running mate for the 2012 elections.

The outspoken and no-nonsense legislator had previously expressed some opposition to the ‘rumoured’ nomination of the party’s 2008 vice presidential candidate as the man to partner Nana Addo once again for the 2012 electoral battle.

But speaking to the New Statesman yesterday, shortly after news broke that Dr Bawumia’s nomination had been endorsed by the National Council of the NPP, Mr Appiah Ofori noted: “This is a party decision, and once he has been approved by the Council of Elders and the National Executive, everybody has to respect the choice.”

He called on the entire membership of the NPP to put the past behind them, remain focused and support the Nana-Bawumia ticket to ensure the much needed victory in the December polls, stressing: “We need to win the elections to salvage the nation from its current mess under the Mills-Mahama administration.

“All party members should support the ticket, work hard and campaign seriously in our respective polling stations and constituencies to win the elections,” Mr Appiah Ofori appealed.

He advised Dr Bawumia to work harder than he did in the 2008 electioneering campaign, by more importantly “going home to canvass for the required home support to seal our victory in the 2012 elections.”

Meanwhile, members of the public have largely reacted favourably to Nana Addo’s choice of Dr Bawumia as his running mate.

“I think his nomination is very good and comes with consistency. Since he has been marketed previously, giving him the chance to partner Nana Addo for the second time will make him easily marketable. Looking at the way the media kept fingering him out from the likes of Jawula, Ambrose Dery and co it was obvious Bawumia was going to be the obvious choice,” Derick Boateng, a Marketing Specialist, told the New Statesman yesterday.

To Samuel Bryan Buabeng, a student of NIIT, “with the way former President Kufuor and former Veep Aliu Mahama were said to have unanimously accepted Nana’s choice of Bawumia, it is clear that victory beckons the party come this year’s election.”

“I know Nana’s theme is to transform the economy from an agricultural based one to an industrialized manufacturing one, so choosing Bawumia is very apt. It is not about South or North. Listening to Bawumia’s acceptance speech, I can see the man is ready for the challenge ahead. Looking back, I remember the Nana-Bawumia ticket had more votes than the Kufuor-Aliu ticket in the North. Bringing a new person on board would mean the NPP would have to start marketing the person,” Isaac Appeatu, a Law student shared his view.

Nii Oscar Glover, NPP Parliamentary Candidate for Dadekotopon, also shared his view: “From the word go, it was obvious Nana’s choice was going to be Bawumia but as to why it took some time for him to come out with his name, that’s another thing. I am a Ga, but will I say I don’t side with his choice? No! Bawumia’s services will be needed as an economist. He was in the first round with Nana, so having him on board the second time is a very good idea. It’s going to be one touch victory for the NPP, trust me!”

Nana Yaw Dwamena

Source: Thes Statesmanonline