Walewale, the capital of West Mamprusi District in the Northern Region, was on Thursday afternoon thrown into jubilation when reports reached residents that Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia had been retained as the running mate to NPP flagbearer Nana Addo Danquah Akuffo Addo.
The former Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana, who hails from the place, has over the years enjoyed the support of his relations and residents in the bid.
It was therefore not surprising that hundreds of residents thronged the family house of Dr. Bawumia to share in his joy of being chosen as the running mate of the party.
A family member, one Lariba Abudu, who spoke to DAILY GUIDE at the family house at Kperiga, where Bawumia�s father was a chief, said they were elated that the party had once again honored them.
She noted that though the party was unable to win a single seat in Mamprugu, she was optimistic that the trend could change since the number of votes appreciated in 2008.
Madam Lariba disclosed, among other things, plans to canvass support at the grassroots to ensure that Dr. Bawumia became the Vice President of Ghana.
Simon Ali Jaraana, a member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) communications team in the Walewale constituency, noted that the massive turnout in solidarity with Bawumia�s choice was just the tip of the iceberg.
According to him, the party, in collaboration with its allies in various communities, was poised to massively vote for the NPP in order to have a brother of Mamprugu as Vice President of the country.
�He is our last opportunity to the presidency and we must all throw our support behind him in order to develop Mamprugu which has lagged behind in the political landscape,� he remarked.
Mr. Ali appealed to residents and party members to celebrate with decorum, noting that Dr Bawumia�s selection was ample evidence that the party, through its flagbearer, reposed confidence in Mamprugu, expressing optimism that they would not fail.
At the time of leaving Walewale, dozens of party supporters had besieged registration centres in the ongoing biometric registration exercise to register, explaining that they only waited for Bawumia to be named before they registered.
Sections of them who spoke to DAILY GUIDE indicated they could now go to their homes in peace and exercise their democratic mandate in December.
There was also jubilation in Tamale and other NPP strongholds, indicating that the Bawumia-Nana ticket was the best for the party�s fortunes in the December polls.
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