NPP ANNOUNCES VP CANDIDATE

UNCLAS ACCRA 001058 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREF GH SUBJECT: NPP ANNOUNCES VP CANDIDATE ¶1. (U). The New Patriotic Party announced late on August 14 that Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia would be its vice presidential candidate in the upcoming election. Dr. Bawumia is currently the Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana, and is a technocrat with no previous electoral experience. The choice will be controversial, as Dr. Bawumia has no apparent political base to add to the ticket. Dr. Bawumia will be "out-doored" August 16 at the party's convention in Takoradi. ¶2. (U). Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia is a Canadian trained economist with a background in banking and finance. At the Bank of Ghana Bawumia has been involved in efforts to open the banking sector to greater competition. He was also involved in drafting the MCA compact, where he contributed sections on the financial sector and agricultural credit. He has been Chairman of the Capital Markets committee. Although Bawumia is from a political family--his father was involved in party politics at the time of independence and worked for the previous NDP government-- he has not previously held office. Party insiders have told POL LES that Bawumia is not even a registered member of the NPP. 3 (SBU) COMMENT. Dr. Bawumia is a technocrat and a relative political unknown, As a northern and a Muslim, he brings some balance to the NPP ticket. However, Akufo-Addo has been under significant pressure from factions of the NPP to select a woman as running mate. The selection of Bawumia may take some selling to the party, which continues to have difficulty unifying ahead of the December election. However, the party could take advantage of his previous political neutrality and the new face that he brings to Ghanaian political. Dr. Bawumia is known to the Embassy and is regarded as a competent civil servant with extensive experience in economic management. END COMMENT. BROWN