Former Finance Minister Yaw Osafo Maafo has said the nomination of Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as the New Patriotic Party running mate is a balancing ticket for the party. According to him, the selection of the Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana will satisfy the overall objective of the party. He said Bawumiah satisfies the many interest groups ahead of the December elections. “Dr. Bawumiah brings on board the youth because of his age, he brings the Moslems on board because of his religion, and appeals to the middle class because of his background as a technocrat.” Speaking to JOY FM's Evans Mensah on Friday, Osafo Maafo said Dr. Bawumia’s candidature will compliment the flag-bearer's efforts in retaining the NPP in power. Even though he acknowledged the disagreements prompted by Bawumia’s nomination, Osafo Maafo rebutted claims that he (Bawumia) is not a member of the NPP. “Not all politicians are platform politicians” he said, adding that Dr. Bawumia has played a crucial role in the NPP’s remarkable economic achievements. He further acknowledged the contributions of Dr. Bawumia in the Highly Indebted Poor Country’s Initiative, the Millennium Challenge Account, and the re-denomination of the Ghana cedi. He added that the NPP stands for free market principles, rule of law and private sector development; values he claimed Bawumia shares and believes in, which makes him the right choice for the party. He also contested the opinion that Bawumia was virtually unknown to the party footsoldiers and that his nomination might affect the chances of the party, saying "we are in politics for development not for politics sake, therefore the footsoldiers should rather be interested in somebody who will facilitate this development and not necessarily somebody they know." He admitted that the decision was taken after thorough discussions and disagreements, but finally a unanimous decision was arrived at in selecting Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as the running mate of the party. In a brief response to his nomination, Dr. Bawumia said he feels humbled by his selection. Author: Nathan Gadugah