Arthur K reacts to Otchere Darko‘s claims on running-mate

Dear Editor,
RE: RUNNING-MATE ISSUES IN 2008 NPP CAMPAIGN
My attention has been drawn to the discussion of the above by Mr. Gabby Otchere Darko, the Executive Director of the Danquah Institute on your esteemed station on Friday, 11th December, 2009. In his remarks, Gabby stated that my views about Dr. Bawumia and Hajia Alima Mahama were tainted by my interest in the running-mate slot and that I lobbied for it. He also claimed that I attacked Dr. Bawumia and Hajia Mahama.

Those assertions by Gabby are inaccurate and not based on my book, “CHASING THE ELEPHANT INTO THE BUSH” or the actual events in the campaign.

While as a good party member, I would have gladly accepted the running-mate slot, I never lobbied the candidate for it. Also, I never claimed in the book that Dr. Bawumia brought nothing to the table. On the contrary, I stated that if we had won, he would have been a very valuable asset to the government in facing the global economic crisis.

Even though I had discussions with a representative of Nana Akufo-Addo about the running mate slot during the primary campaign, Nana informed me during our very first meeting after the primary that he had decided to pick a Northerner as his running-mate. He asked for my views about three people he was considering and I gave them to him. Since I do not hail from the North, I knew from that meeting that neither I nor any other Southerner would be the running-mate. From then on, I was focused on helping the candidate to pick the best nominee possible. To this end, I gave the candidate a confidential memorandum outlining a process for the selection of a running-mate. It is conceivable that if the process I had outlined had been used, by the time Hajia's candidacy became untenable, there would have been another candidate, vetted and ready to step in. Instead, there was the chaotic process that led to the selection of Dr. Bawumia.

Unlike others, I do not believe that Northerners should either have the running mate slot reserved for them or be excluded from serious consideration for the Presidential nomination of our party or any other party.

It is my firm belief that any Ghanaian, regardless of ethnicity, religion or gender, based on merit, must be able to aspire to any position in our country.

My opposition to Dr. Bawumia's selection was not personal or hidden--- it was principled and open. I stated my objections openly and forcefully in front of the candidate in a meeting attended by Former President Kufuor and his Vice, Alhaji Aliu Mahama.

I do not believe that our party should select as running-mate anyone who is not a member of our party in good standing—except in the context of an alliance approved by the party. The selection of a non-member as running-mate, in my judgement, undermines a bed-rock principle of party politics as well as our party's oft-repeated claim that “we have the men”.

Finally, to be the nation we aspire to be, we must in the words of the NPP's 2008 campaign “move forward”. As I write, there are two books out on the 2008 US Campaign, one by Mr. Obama's Campaign Manager and the other by Mr. McCain's running mate. Both are being discussed seriously and will significantly affect the respective campaigns in 2012. That is what we must aspire to.

Thank you for the opportunity to set the record straight.

Sincerely,
Arthur Kobina Kennedy
The News Editor,
Peace FM,
Accra