I’m most qualified to be Nana’s running mate — I. C. Quaye

Page 15, June 30, 2008
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah

THE Greater Accra Regional Minister, Sheikh I.C. Quaye, has said it would not be out of place if the New Patriotic Party’s flag bearer, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo heeds the voice of the people and nominates him as his running mate for the December polls.
“As far as I am concerned, I am the most qualified person among the many people being mentioned as possible nominees”, he told the Daily Graphic in an interview on Tuesday.
As the time for the filing of nominations for the December election approaches, several people have been mentioned as those who could be the running mates of the various presidential aspirants.
Apart from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) flag bearer, Professor John Evans Atta Mills, who has nominated the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bole-Bamboi, Mr John Mahama, as his running mate, all the others are yet to do so.
As Ghanaians wait patiently for the nomination of Nana Akufo-Addo’s running mate, some NPP members such as the Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing and MP for Salaga, Mr Boniface Abubakar Sadiqque; the Minister of Women and Children’s Affairs and MP for Savelugu, Hajia Alima Mahama; the Minister of Fisheries and MP for Takoradi, Mrs Gladys Asmah; the former Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Alan Kyerematen, and the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Sheikh I.C. Quaye, have been mentioned as possible nominees Nana Akufo-Addo would choose from.
In choosing running mates, political parties from time immemorial have considered a number of factors that are considered to enhance their chances of winning elections.
Factors such as ethnicity, regional balance, religion and party loyalty, among other factors are considered by the political parties in their bid to achieve their political ambitions.
In the 2000 election, President J. A. Kufuor, then a presidential candidate, considered the northern sector and religion in the nomination of Vice-President Aliu Mahama as his running mate.
While the running mates the flag bearers of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), the People’e National Convention (PNC) and the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP) among others, have not been revealed, rumours are rife about the one the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) flag bearer, Nana Akufo-Addo, is eyeing as his number two man.
While all these people are qualified for the slot, Sheikh Quaye claimed that he had the credentials that put him far ahead of all the other names that were being mentioned in the media.
Sheikh Quaye was a Member of Parliament on the ticket of Busia-led Progress Party (PP) during the Second Republic.
During General I.K. Acheampong’s military regime, Skeikh Quaye was accused of sedition and sentenced to seven years in prison for suggesting to the government(THAT......)
He, however, won an appeal against the sentence and two weeks later, Acheampong government was overthrown.
“I am popularly known as the people’s man and I played a yeoman’s role in propelling the party to power in 1992.”
Sheikh Quaye stated that if candidates were being chosen because of their Muslim background, then he was the best to be considered.
He stated that apart from being an MP in 1969, he became the Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the NPP before winning the Ayawaso Central seat in 1996 to represent his people, which he had been doing till date.
As a regional minister, Sheikh Quaye explained that his expertise in administration had won him a lot of awards, both locally and internationally and expressed the hope that his experience could assist the party in realising its goals if he was paired with Nana Akufo-Addo.
Currently, he has been nominated to receive an award in the Order of Volta category during this year’s celebration of the Republic Day.