The vice president Alhaji Aliu Mahama is willing to partner the flag-bearer of the NPP, Nana Akufo-Addo for the December elections, his Special Adviser has said. Dr. Amoako Tuffuor says Alhaji Mahama has worked very hard and diligently as vice president and could bring a lot of expertise to Nana Addo’s ticket. He was responding a Joy FM report that a group calling itself the concerned youth of NPP in Tamale had issued a statement calling for the selection of the vice president as the running mate to Nana Addo. The group said Alhaji Aliu Mahama had competently discharged his duties as vice president. Joy News’ Mahama Shaibu reports that the call by the group comes at a time when there is heated debate as who qualifies among the northern names to be selected as the NPP vice presidential candidate. There has been intense lobbying for the position with three names making the rounds. They include the Women and Children’s Affairs Minister, Hajia Alima Mahama, Water Resources, Works and Housing Minister, Alhaji Boniface Abubakar Siddique, and the Chief Director at the Ministry of Health, Alhaji M.N.D. Jawula. The vice president’s name has hardly come up but the Tamale NPP youth group says he is the best man for the position. It described him as experienced, humble and hardworking and therefore deserves to be retained as the party’s vice presidential candidate. Story by Malik Abass Daabu