Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has received overwhelming endorsement by the National Council of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) as the running mate of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for the December 7 elections.
This follows the acclamation of Mr Akufo-Addo on Saturday, June 27 as the ruling party’s presidential nominee for the elections.
President Akufo-Addo proposed his choice to the Council with glowing tribute to his vice.
“The constitution of our party provides in Article 13(3) that the Vice Presidential Candidate shall be selected upon the nomination of the Presidential Candidate in consultation with the National Council. So today, I have the great honour to put into consultation with you, the members of the National Council my choice of running mate for the fourth time the excellent, hardworking vice president Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia.”
He showered on Dr Bawumia accolades such as ‘Mr Digital’, ‘Mr You & I Were Not There’, ‘The Economic Prophet’ and ‘Adam Smith of Walewale’ as the most fitting person to feature on the ballot for the NPP once again.
After the overwhelming acceptance of Mr Akufo-Addo’s decision, a record for the party, Dr Bawumia expressed gratitude to his leader for sticking with him since 2008.
He admitted that the four-time flagbearer of the NPP could have dropped him in 2012 and in 2016 after they lost the 2008 elections in the second round to the Atta Mills-Mahama National Democratic Congress (NDC) ticket.
“Mr President, I will never take the trust and confidence you have reposed in me for granted,” he told the partisan gathering at the Alisa Hotel in Accra.
He jabbed the NDC and its flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama, saying they are struggling to name a running mate as a result of “incompetence”.
“The best running mate in the world will not make a difference if the president is indecisive or incompetent,” the Vice President stated.
Dr Bawumia stated clearly that he will support President Akufo-Addo in doing more for Ghana.
“It is important to note that my job as running mate is to support the president in implementing his vision.”
Dr Bawumia was a Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana in 2008 when then candidate Akufo-Addo nominated him as his running mate.
He has since then been on the ballot with Mr Akufo-Addo.
They have lost two elections – the 2008 elections after the second round and the legally challenged 2012 polls – to the Mahama-Amissah-Arthur ticket.
But they beat the same ticket in 2016.
In 2020, NDC’s John Mahama is expected to contest with a new partner.
But for Dr Bawumia, “I am ready and prepared to serve.”
By Emmanuel Kwame Amoh|3news.com|Ghana