‘Arthur K. wanted to be Nana Addos’ running mate’

Gabby Asare Okyere Darko, the Executive Director of Dankwa Institute, says Dr. Arthur Kobina Kennedy recent accusations that the behaviour of some key elements of the NPP caused the party’s defeat in the 2008 general election was as result of his botched ambition to become the running mate of the party’s presidential candidate, Nana Akufo Addo.

“All the recent effusions and rantings of Arthur Kennedy were as a result of his failure to be nominated by Nana Addo last year as his running mate. And for me, if that is the reason he wants to malign the campaign team then the NPP has to be wary of this man (referring to Dr. Arthur Kennedy).

He said it was an open secret at the time that Hajia Halima Mahama was supposed to be the running mate but a whole lot of issues cropped up, which suddenly derailed her chances and paved way for people like Dr. Arthur Kennedy to lobby for the position.

Gabby Asare Okyere Darko disclosed this on Peace Fm, an Accra based radio station, last Friday during its ‘Kokrokoo’ morning show program.

Giving reasons why the NPP lost the 2008 election in his book titled “Chasing the elephant back into the bush, the politics of complacency”, Dr. Arthur Kennedy said Nana Addo’s running mate, Dr Mahamadu Bawumia, was not an active member of the party, besides he was politically immature to be the running mate for a serious political party like the NPP.

Mr. Asare Okyere Darko stated that when Nana wanted to choose his running mate he sought the opinions of both party and non-party members before settling on Dr. Bawumia, asking what the latter did in his capacity as the Communication Director of the campaign team to garner support for the party.

When asked by the host of the program that if Arthur Kennedy did not help the party as he should because he was not chosen, Mr. Asare Okyere Darko stated that he cannot tell because everybody contributed his or her quota to seeing that the party retained power, but unfortunately that could not materialize.

BY MELODY CEASER