STOP RINGING THE RUNNING MATE BELL

Pressure should not be placed on Former President in the selection of his running mate.

The immediate task should be -to build on what we collectively achieved last Saturday and work assiduously for the victory of our candidate in 2020.

Consultation is a key ingredient in every political process. Nonetheless, in the selection of a running mate or Vice Presidential Candidate, a Presidential Candidate is allowed enough space and reasonable freedom to select his running mate based on loyalty, trust, experience, temperament, maturity and ability and capacity to perform the responsibilities of the office. Anything other than this could spark unnecessary internal tension and acrimony.

We have to be careful not to give the impression that the process of selecting a running mate must be based on regional, ethnic and religious permutations and cannot progress until a regional stamp of approval is formally procured.

Yea, these permutations have become a convention but the system we are used to right from the third republic is one that places the choice of a running mate at the behest of the Presidential Candidate, in this case, His Excellency Former President John Mahama, based on his own conviction on capacity and compatibility. He does that in consultation with his party executives, founder and other kingpins in the party.

Once the party via its delegates have elected him as its candidate, John Mahama should be given a free hand to select the person who understand his vision and plans for the country. What the candidate is bringing on board in terms of votes must also be looked at.

On selection of a running mate, former US Vice President Walter Mondale “It is risky, because if you make a mistake, a serious mistake, it’s like a bad marriage. Only you can’t get a divorce”. John Kennedy’s choice of Lyndon Johnson reassured Southern Democrats and helped Kennedy win Texas. Michael Dukakis picked the highly respected Texas Senator Lloyd Bentsen for his ticket but H.W Bush defeated him with his relatively obscure Dan Quayle. President Ford picked Bob Dole in 1976 to win back the Farm Belt. In the United States, a running mate can help mollify a voter bloc, put a state in competition or fill a gap in experience. George Bush’s choice of Dick in 2000 gave the GOP ticket Washington experience the Texas Governor lacked.

So, these internal permutations is a normal political practice but must be handled with circumspection to avoid unnecessary pressure and tension. At times candidates leak names of their preferred candidates so that it could be bounced around, so that the press and the public do their vetting before the official announcement.

Let me use my small platform to appeal to my fellow comrades to allow the Presidential Candidate of our party to select a candidate or running mate he can work with to achieve our ultimate goal

Only minimal consultation is required which doesn’t necessarily have to involve full regional review and approval. This regionalism idea is not an NDC philosophy. We are a CONGRESS and that nature and composition should be maintained at all times. I am sure the Presidential Candidate will look at all the permutations and in collaboration with the party’s kingpins, give Ghanaians the best material.

The 95.24 percent figure shows that : the NDC is a formidable party ready to take back power

-It shows that the party folks have absolute trust and confidence in Mr Mahama

-It shows that the party folks have put behind them the past and resolved to go into 2020 a united front

With this solid background, the party can easily remove the Akufo Addo government if we support the candidate and give him free hand to choose who he wants to work with.

The NDC is what it is because of its congress nature. Any attempt to bury that philosophy for regionalism and religious permutations will create unnecessary problems for the coming generation. Yea, based on certain strategic reasons, we may collectively push the permutation phenomenon to outwit our opponents…but making it a core convention to follow is dangerous and unhealthy