Top officials of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) were rooting for Ambrose Dery to be the running mate to Nana Akufo-Addo in the 2008 election.
This was captured in a book titled ‘The President Ghana Never Got.’
According to the book authored by award-winning Ghanaian investigative journalist, Manasseh Azure Awuni, Akufo-Addo’s selection of Dr Mahamudu Bawumia as running mate faced stiff opposition from party big wigs since he was only known as a brilliant banker and economist.
Then-candidate Akufo-Addo wanted Dr Bawumia as his running mate, but some party officials argued that Ambrose Dery was a better fit for the position.
They believed Mr Dery was an astute politician who could excite and sometimes energise voters, whereas Dr Bawumia was seen as a boring banker who lacked the ability to articulate his views and persuade people to vote for the party.
They also argued that if Akufo-Addo wanted representation from the North, Mr Dery was a perfect fit. However, Akufo-Addo maintained his stance.
After the party lost the election, more pressure mounted on the NPP flagbearer to change his running mate. However, Akufo-Addo is said to have maintained his decision.
“Ambrose Dery is a lawyer, and I am a lawyer. I want someone with an economics background to complement me. I will do the politics and he will do the technical things,” Akufo-Addo reportedly told a current cabinet minister who was also an MP when the MPs clamoured for Ambrose Dery,
“I don’t want to blame my loss on that young man. If I change him, I’ll put the blame on him,” the book added.
Additionally, candidate Akufo-Addo did not want to create the impression of being unfair, especially since Dr Bawumia, who was Deputy Governor of the Central Bank at the time, had to resign from his position upon his selection as running mate. Changing him would have been completely unfair.
A cabinet minister told the author that it was a political risk no one else was willing to take.
However, Dr Bawumia’s ability to exhibit brilliance and wit while answering questions from lawyer, Tsatsu Tsikata convinced all the party bigwigs that Dr Bawumia was the best man for the running mate position.
“Mounting the witness box could destroy a politician forever, and the party appreciated Dr Bawumia for taking the risk on its behalf. But Dr Bawumia’s stature in the party soared not only because he witnessed. He dazzled members of his party with his brilliance in the witness box.
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