Decision day for Nana Addo

IT`S JAWULA BAWUMIA IN FINAL‘Who can stand in for the President if he suddenly becomes incapacitated?’ Hajia Alima, Boy scout Boniface or Bawumiah?
Who can stand in for the President if he suddenly becomes incapacitated?’ Hajia Alima, Boy scout Boniface or Bawumiah? AS THE Flag bearer of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo takes the significant decision today as to who partners him in the upcoming general elections, the political desk of The Chronicle can report that, Alhaji M.N.D Jawula, immediate past Chief Director of Ministry of Health, seems to be the obvious choice.
The 59 year old Civil servant, who voluntarily retired from active service recently, to escape the commotion that his candidature had generated, particularly from ‘The Daily Graphic (which appears to suffer from Castle control), after giving up another major chieftaincy position– the Lepowura of Gonja land, to establish his readiness for the task ahead.
In a surprise endorsement of the Lepowura, three heavyweight endorsements came flying in from a number of people. Hon. P.C. Appiah Ofori, Hon. J.B. Danquah Adu, Nana Kofi Coomson and Haruna Atta, of the Accra Daily Mail. Several prospects have made the traditional rounds in the circuit of contenders for the position, each fielding an interesting assortment of pressmen to engineer all manner of headlines to catch the eye of Nana Addo..
In reality, they do not even puncture the inner perimeter of the Presidential candidate. The names are coming in thick and fast with some early birds like Sheikh IC Quaye, who was with the President in the first parliament of the first Republic. The Sheikh is the first conqueror of Mr. Kwesi Pratt in 1996, when the youthful Pratt engaged him for the Ayawaso Central seat and felt the power of Quaye’s magical appeal, with the voters from Nkansan Djan area through to Tip Toe lane.
Even though he is a very sprightly person, the old ‘boy’, well over his 70th birthday, he made the comical strip- ‘Atta Mills eke mini… enya Kenya … Naa Nana, Naa Shoo…’ popular enough to enter the phrase book of politics in Ghana.
Surprisingly, Alhaji Boniface, in spite of his maximum interface with the press, never quiet made it to the ring of minders who have thrown a gauntlet of beefy armour round The Aspirant.
The latest trick from the bookmakers is one pedestrian Alhaji Zacharia, who was plucked from complete anonymity as a tutor at the Tamale Training College, and hoisted by the press to the bewilderment of the man himself.
Hajia Alima finally did herself in, after the fatal blow by the venerated Hon. B.J. da-Rocha, whose treatise leaked to the Daily Mail last Monday, unleashed a simultaneous chorus of disapproval from women’s group in parliament. Not only could a staged marriage to a willing and approving man within the last few days stem the poison of nay Sayers. Her last act of corralling demonstrators to the office of the flag bearer was too late to sway the flag bearer’s early enthusiasm for her candidature.
MAHAMUDU BAWUMIA
Intelligence picked up by this paper indicates that Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia, Deputy Governor of Bank of Ghana, was as at yesterday evening going through the paces of being groomed for the office. Never desirous of the position, Bawumia has never relished the position of vice President and was amused when his name came up.
Eyeing the position of Governor of the Central Bank, Bawumia is now very much on the cards as the most likely vice Presidential candidate.
Perhaps, the candidate who has leapfrogged on to the priority candidate is Alhaji Jawula. Mahmoud Bawumia has not been involved in active politics in all his life, except to be appointed as Deputy Governor in charge of Monetary Policy, based on his qualification and a father who was a senior National Democratic Congress member of the Council of Elders.
With his solid economic background, he caught the fancy of the rank and file of the NPP because of his freshness, and his youthfulness.
Alhaji Bawumia, who is reported to have been in confinement since Monday, following credible reports that he is now the compromise candidate to partner Nana Akufo-Addo, is the son of Alhaji Mumuni Bawumia, a CPP stalwart and a former Minister under the regime of the late Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, and who later joined the NDC, after Kojo Tsikata enticed him into the fold.
Jawula, a Lepowura, who declared his intention to support Akufo-Addo when given the nod, said he sought permission from his paramount chief to ascend to the throne of vice President after which he would rejoin the traditional leadership. According to him, he would be privileged to partner Akufo-Addo to bring his vast experience in governance to bear, having garnered enough from the public service until he voluntarily retired some few days ago.
To him the nobility of chieftaincy was in his vein and he would help reform the chieftaincy institution after serving as the second most powerful person of the land.
M.N.D. Jawula, who earlier stated that he had no Presidential ambition, said “I am ready to take up the mantle to prepare the ground for the upcoming generations. I have no Presidential ambition,” he told this paper in response to whether he has actually abdicated from the chieftaincy kingdom to engage in active politics.
According to him, there were many leaders of the nation that he took inspiration from.
“Dr. Hilla Limman stepped down to be a President and later became the chief of his homeland, Gwollu. My late uncle, whom I take inspirations from in the UP tradition, set aside his kingship and went to parliament to serve and after that reverted,” he rolled out names who embarked on the same journey.
Touching on what he will bring on board, the vice Presidential hopeful indicated that,” I am bringing my vast experience in public service and other areas that have never being seen before. I am bringing diplomatic service that will gel, for the Moslems and Christians. I am bringing a new concept that will keep the youth active, especially in football and in health.” Alhaji Jawula, a former Ghana Football Association chairman, underscored that he has passion for rural governance and was much pleased with Akufo-Addo’s northern agenda programme, which he wished to play a pivotal role to ensure that the dream of the NPP flag bearer was achieved.
“I am interested in the Northern Development agenda and also interested in local governance throughout the nation. When given the nod, I want to get to the people who would make the economy vibrant, especially the farmers.”
According to him, he will support the vision and the ideals of Akufo-Addo alongside the beliefs of the NPP tradition, adding that he will consult the farmers and fisher-folks to get the northern agenda of the NPP movers, since as he said, he is already a part-time farmer, with a number of tractors.
Jawula, having had over thirty years in civil service, the Gonja/Ga native candidate stands tall among his competitors. With thirty-two years of experience in the civil service, Alhaji Nuru Deen Jawula has carved a niche for himself in the discharge of his duties in the various institutions that he served.
Through his selfless, dedication and above all his commitment to serve his people, his competence in the public service has proven a better track record which has endowed him with rich experience to take Ghana to greater heights if he partners Akuffo-Addo for the presidential race. His visionary qualities have attracted lots of heavy weights within the NPP to endorse his candidature to partner Nana Akuffo-Addo.
His neutrality puts him above his competitors to be able to bridge the gap between the North and South. His long stewardship in the civil service makes him understand the structures, management and the plight of Ghanaian workers. His leadership qualities made him the obvious choice as a chief (Lepowura) in his hometown when the stool became vacant.
As a son of Kpembe Royal clan, Alhaji M.N.D Jawula was born a thorough-bred Zongo person and is a descendant of Jakpa, the Warrior, Known in Zongo folklore.
His political ambition was overshadowed by his long spell in the public service until recently when he mounted the stage of the NPP at Kasoa in a mammoth rally when the party introduced its flag bearer, Nana Akuffo-Addo.
From Gambaga to Wale Wale, through to Yendi and Damongo, where he served as District Executive in the 1970s and 1980s, his selfless dedication to work made him earn promotion upon promotion to serve in the Ministries of Finance and Economic Planning, Railways, Ports and Harbours until his retirement from the Health sector as a Chief Director. His rich experience in the administration of football made the country to chalk successes in events organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
From the boat of Real Tamale United, he jumped onto the Ghana Football Association board in 1994 and became its vice chairman in 1995. Later he became the chairman of the Football Association in 1999 and onto the Standing Committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) with its entire network.
Meanwhile, according to some members of the Sweet Apple branch of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), they have called on the leadership of the party, particularly it's flag bearer, Nana Akuffo-Addo, to choose Alhaji M.N.D. Jawula as the party’s running mate for the December 2008 elections.
According to them, critical analysis of the fortunes of the NPP so far points to the fact that Alhaji Mohammed Nurudeen Jawula, a former Chairman of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) stands tall among the possible vice Presidential materials whose names are currently making the rounds.
Speaking to this paper after a consultative meeting involving members and executives of the Sweet Apple NPP branch over the weekend at their office in Accra New Town, a leading executive member of the branch, Madam Hajia Kande stated that after painstaking research and consultation among the rank and file of it's membership and other members of the NPP at both the national and regional level, it has become obvious that Alhaji Jawula is the right person to partner Nana Akuffo-Addo, to ensure not only a resounding victory for the NPP but to fulfill the party’s promises to Ghanaians.
She said, Alhaji Jawula has proven to all and sundry that "his vision is to work for Ghana" and has accordingly excelled in all administrative positions he occupied, mentioning among them his achievements as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Real Tamale United, the GFA, and Chief Director of the Ministry of Health, among others.
Hajia Kande mentioned that in all positions Alhaji Jawula occupied, he worked to the admiration of all, irrespective of one's political or religious affiliation, stressing that "this is someone who can unite Ghana".
Buttressing her points further, she intimated that Alhaji M.N.D Jawula has worked with people with different political, religious, tribal and educational backgrounds, so could be in the best position to unite what she described as an almost "polarised Ghana".
"At this time of our political dispensation, Ghana needs someone who can unite the entire nation, just as Alhaji has done in unifying people wherever he is chosen to lead.
These and many more qualities have made Alhaji Jawula not only a winnable bet, but a person who has the ability to add more value to our Presidency and help to maintain Ghana as the enviable peaceful nation in the sub-region".
Also speaking with this paper further, Mr. Luqman Musah, Secretary of the Accra New Town based Sweet Apple NPP branch stated that "judging from all available facts, sports is a major unifying factor as exhibited during the Germany 2006 world cup and the just ended MTN CAN 2008 Africa Cup of nations hosted by Ghana. It is obvious Alhaji is best positioned to use sports to unite the nation"
Mr. Luqman Musah therefore urged the NPP leadership to nominate Alhaji Jawula as the running mate of Nana Akuffo Addo.