In Ghana, regional consideration is often considered important in the selection of a running mate, particularly for the two leading political parties, the New Patriotic Party and the National Democratic Congress especially due to the country’s diverse regional identities and political landscapes.
While the country has sixteen administrative regions, a clear study of the voting trend of the country revealed two major regional blocks in terms of voting in the country, which is the traditional and the swing regional block.
For instance, the Ashanti and the Eastern Regions mostly vote massively for the New Patriotic Party, while the opposition National Democratic Congress appears to win more votes from the Volta, Oti and the five Northern Regions.
The other seven regions including the Greater- Accra, Central, Western, Western North, Bono East, Ahafo and Bono Regions on the other hand voting patterns mostly change in every general election.
This makes the selection of the running mate for the two major political parties very critical during every general election in the country.
While the ruling New Patriotic Party is known for picking its running mate from the northern part of the country, the opposition National Democratic Congress chooses its running mate based on who is the party’s flagbearer.
The party has selected its running mate from the swing regions particularly the central region four consecutive times and three times from the Northern Regions. This demonstrates the party’s commitment to ensuring balance and inclusivity.
While close associates of Former President John Dramani Mahama including his Special Aide, Joyce Bawah Mogtari have thrown their support for the former Minister of Education, Professor Jane Naana Opoku Agyeman for the running mate position ahead of the 2024 general, there appears to be a regional scramble within the party for the running mate bid.
These attempts have subtly been led by traditional leaders in some of the regions that the National Democratic Congress flagbearer Former President John Dramani Mahama has visited as part of his Building Ghana Tour.
The most recent request came from a member of the Council of State and Paramount Chief of Sefwi Wiawso Traditional Area, Katakyie Kwasi Bumangama II, who asked Mr Mahama to name the current Deputy Minority Leader and former Minister of Energy and Petroleum, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah as his running mate.
“When you went to Bono, the queen’s mother asked you to choose someone for the area, we will also demand the same. After the first President of Ghana, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah who was from the Western Region, we are yet to get an individual to occupy such a position. So the Western and Western North Regions also want Emmanuel Armah Kofi Boah considered for the position”
Katakyie Kwasi Bumangama II
Volta And Oti Youth Lobbies For NDC Running Mate
However, amidst the increasing demands from several traditional authorities pleading that indigenes from their localities be picked for the position, a pro-National Democratic Congress youth group in the Volta and Oti Region has also waded into the request and urged the party’s flagbearer, Former President John Dramani Mahama to considered Mr Leslie Mensah Tamakloe, an ICT and energy expert who is from the Volta Region as his running mate for the 2024 general elections.
The group in a press conference addressed by its convener, John Amenuvor touted Mr Tamakloe’s vast knowledge in technology, infrastructure, artificial intelligence, robotics and renewable energy, describing him as the best candidate to partner with Mr Mahama for the 2024 general elections.
Mr. Amenuvor further opined that selecting Mr. Tamakloe, a native of Anlo State, as the party’s running mate would help restore the Volta Region’s passion for the party, which had declined after the passing of the party’s founder, Jerry John Rawlings.
“It is sufficient to believe that the selection of a running mate from the Volta Region, a man who has paid his dues to the roots, stem, and branch of the NDC will equally be an honour to the fathers and the very soil that birthed the beliefs and ideologies of our great party and, again, reaffirm the position of the Volta legacy at the forefront of affairs in the party. Nothing defeats honour, and we are sure it is an insurance and assurance of victory towards the December 2024 polls”.
John Amenuvor
While the National Democratic Congress and its flagbearer Former President John Dramani Mahama cannot overlook regional consideration in its running mate selection, it is also imperative for the party to strike a balance and ensure that the selection is based on merit, competence, that ultimately would inure to the fortunes of the party in the 2024 general elections.
READ ALSO: Minority Express Doubts Over 1D1F Achieving Its Objectives
