The Executive Director of the Danquah Institute, Gabby Asare Okyere Darko, has revealed to PeaceFm News that former NPP�s Campaign Communications Director in the 2008 General Elections, Dr. Arthur Kobina Kennedy, once lobbied for the running mate position of the NPP.
According to Okyere Darko, Dr. Arthur Kennedy was so politically ambitious that he (Arthur Kennedy) privately requested from then flagbearer of the NPP, Nana Akuffo Addo, to offer him the position of running mate after he earlier lost out in his quest to become flagbearer during the 2007 National Delegates Congress.
He was reacting to some aspects in Dr. Arthur Kennedy�s recent book which touched on the unsuitability of Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia�s selection as the running mate of Nana Addo Akuffo-Addo.
The Communications Director has been at the receiving end of massive attacks on his integrity by members of his own party, following the writing of the book he wrote on his assessment of happenings within the NPP, which led to the party�s defeat in the 2008 elections by the NDC.
The US-based medical doctor took part in the overcrowded NPP flagbearership race that saw as many as 17 persons vying for the position in order to lead the party in the 2008 elections and got only a single vote at congress. Since information about his yet to be launched book became public knowledge, his party members have not failed to seize a single opportunity to insult, vilify or castigate him for exposing the rots in the NPP.
In his recent book, �Chasing The Elephant Into The Bush; The Politics Of Complacency� which takes an introspection of the NPP�s failed attempt to retain power, and chronicles activities and events in the build up to the election, Dr. Kennedy gives an intriguing account of the events that led to the choice of Mahamadu Bawumia as the Vice Presidential candidate.
According to him, �whatever the reasons, Hajia Alima Mahama�s misfortune of not winning the nomination as Nana Addo�s running mate proved to be a boondoggle for Mahamadu Bawumia, then Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana. In spite of never being in the race for the nomination and his admission that he was not a party member, Nana Addo presented him (Bawumia) as the Veep candidate to the National Executive Committee, amidst both opposition�and support�.But by that time, the Veep nomination fatigue had set in and it become a fait accompli,� unquote.
But the DI boss believes Dr. Kennedy�s harsh words and negative tone in describing Dr. Bawumia�s selection is indicative of pent-up feelings of anger at being side-stepped.
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