Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, running mate to the 2012 Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic Party, Nana Akufo-Addo, has paid glowing tribute to the late Chief Simon Diedong Dombo (SD Dombo), founding member and leader of the Northern People’s Party, for his great service and dedication to the people of Ghana and the North specifically. Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia made the comments when he visited the home of the late Chief of Duori in the Upper West Region and former leader of the United Party, which has today metamorphosed into the New Patriotic Party. At the residence was the wife of the late Chief, Margaret Dombo, who welcomed Dr. Bawumia and his team. She thanked the team for remembering her husband and his legacy as a stalwart of the Danquah-Busia-Dombo tradition. Also present was the third son of Chief Dombo, Tanko Dombo. According to the NPP running mate he visited the home of the late Chief to pay homage to his memory and also to seek the prayers of the family for the task ahead. Dr. Bawumia recalled the formation of the Northern People’s Party citing founding members like Mumuni Bawumia, J.A. Braimah, Tolon Naa Yakubu Tali, Naa Abeifaa Karbo, Imoru Salifu, C. K. Tedem and Chief Dombo who he said formed the Party with the singular purpose of developing the North. He also recalled how the Northern People’s Party merged with other political groupings into the United Party which metamorphosed into the Progress Party and now NPP. Touching on the relevance of the work of Chief Dombo and his contemporaries on today’s politics, Dr. Bawumia said that he felt he had a major and sacred responsibility to contribute his all to national development and the development of the North specifically because of the work Chief Dombo and all the other great northern politicians did. “As I stand here today, I feel a sacred responsibility because the work that Chief Dombo and all the others started has not been completed” Dr. Bawumia added. He recalled how in 1953, Chief Dombo and his contemporaries who formed the Northern People’s Party presented a resolution to the colonial administration and proposed the Northern Development Committee which sought to open up the North and bridge the North-South Gap. Dr. Bawumia also mentioned the 8-point manifesto drawn up by the same group for the development of the North in the 50s. Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia noted that the gap between the North and the South was still wide, indicating that Nana Akufo-Addo had made it a cardinal pledge that one of his legacies as President would be bridging the gap between the North and the South. The NPP Running Mate assured the wife and family of Chief Dombo that he and the Party were committed to doing everything possible to keep the name of Chief Dombo alive and to protect his legacy while working toward achieving his vision for the North particularly. “I assure you that I would do all I can to keep the name of Chief Dombo alive in whatever I do because we are benefitting from his work. This Party owes Chief Dombo a great debt of gratitude and we would keep his name alive”, Dr. Bawumia said.