President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has revealed the driving forces behind his decision to select Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as his running mate, emphasizing the importance of honesty and regional balance in Ghana’s leadership.
During a recent visit to the Jubilee House by students of Association International School, President Akufo-Addo explained that he chose Dr. Bawumia for his exceptional qualities of truthfulness, goal orientation, and unwavering commitment to achieving collective objectives.
He praised Dr. Bawumia’s direct communication style, expressing a preference for individuals who speak candidly.
Furthermore, Akufo-Addo stressed the significance of regional balance and unity in Ghana’s leadership.
He emphasized the need for a leadership that brings together individuals from both the northern and southern regions of the country to maintain national unity.
President Akufo-Addo’s decision to pick Dr. Bawumia as his running mate initially raised uncertainties and questions within the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and among political observers, as Dr. Bawumia was not a well-known figure in Ghanaian politics at the time. Nevertheless, Akufo-Addo remained steadfast in his choice.
Together, Akufo-Addo and Bawumia contested in the 2008 and 2012 elections, narrowly missing victory to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) led by John Evans Atta Mills and John Mahama respectively.
However, in the 2016 and 2020 elections, the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia ticket secured victory, leading them to serve as President and Vice President for a combined period of six years and ten months.
President Akufo-Addo’s remarks shed light on the factors that influenced his decision to choose Dr. Bawumia as his running mate, highlighting the importance of truthfulness, regional balance, and unity in Ghana’s leadership.
By Vincent Kubi