Malik Yakubu was Nana's first choice

Listen to Odoi-Sykes

Alhaji Malik Alhassan Yakubu, the Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament and a son of Dagbon, was supposed to have been Nana Akufo-Addo's obvious choice for the vice presidential slot.

The ticket of the duo, was however, thwarted by the raging feud existing between the Andanis and the Abudus factions in Dagbon, Northern Region, which Alhaji Yakubu was accused of failing to avert the clash as the then Interior Minister in 2002.

However, not withstanding mounting pressures from lobbyist of anxious vice presidential hopefuls and party stalwarts, and based on careful consultations, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) flag-bearer, finally settled on a compromise candidate.

Speaking on Joy FM's current affairs programme, the Front Page, a former party chairman, Samuel Odoi-Sykes said, the NPP presidential candidate, had earlier expressed strong interest in Alhaji Malik Alhassan Yakubu, who is also the Member of Parliament for Yendi.

Dr. Mohamudu Bawumia, was however, unanimously chosen on Thursday at the party's National Executive Council meeting as its running mate.

“Dr. Bawumia has no rival in the contest. If you take the rest, they have rivals and it would be easier for them to accommodate and accept Bawumia, than, for them to accept one of them emerging as the victor,” Mr. Odoi-Sykes said.

Nevertheless, the hope of putting Nana Addo's 'nightmare' to rest by going for a compromise candidate, has become a mirage, as some party faithful openly expressed disappointment over his selection.

Mr. Odoi-Sykes said Nana Akufo-Addo's first choice, Alhaji Malik Yakubu, dream was wished away by the unresolved Abudu/Andani friction.

He said the albatross of the Dagbon conflict forced Nana Addo to abandon his first choice and later resorted to Hajia Alima Mahama, Minister of Women and Children's Affairs.

Again, the choice faced a stiff resistance from staunch party leaders like B.J. da Rocha and Dr. Nyaho Nyaho Tamakloe.

Finally, he said, Nana had to go for the banker, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, who is touted as a compromise candidate.

Mr. Odoi-Sykes said, at first, he was having his personal qualm about the candidate, but was later wooed by carefully studying of his credentials.

As a technocrat, Dr. Bawumia is believed would make a good vice president and not a “decorative vice president”, should Ghanaians give the NPP the nod.

Story by Isaac Essel