In the run-up to the 2000 presidential and parliamentary elections, there was clearly an urgent desire for change. August 2000 saw the announcement by the candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr. John Agyekum Kufuor of his running mate. He happened to be a relatively politically unknown person, Alhaji Aliu Mahama. The NPP ticket pushed the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) ticket of Prof. Atta Mills/Martin Amidu into a presidential run-off and eventually won the run-off. There was no proof of Alhaji Mahama's contribution to the NPP victory and this has made some persons compare the current nomination of Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia as Nana Addo's running mate to Alhaji Mahama's 2000 nomination. A reason often cited is that a running mate is not all that vital to the success of a presidential candidate. However, an analysis of the 2004 presidential elections makes the above argument, a bit hollow. In spite of the Ya-Na crisis in the Northern Region, the NPP increased its share of votes in the three northern regions by more than 192,000 votes. Can anyone say it was not due to Alhaji Aliu Mahama, the Vice-President? And remember that President John Kufuor avoided a run-off by less than 118,000 votes! In Wednesday’s issue of the Daily Dispatch, we discussed briefly what the NDC's running mate, Mr. John Mahama, has brought to the political fortunes of Prof. Atta Mills and the NDC. What must Dr. Bawumia do to enhance the chances of Nana Akufo-Addo and the NPP? Here are some brief suggestions: Platform talk He must quickly learn to move away from speaking as a technocrat to a politician. His speeches in the Western Region were brilliant but politically, too long, to keep people's attention. From his narration, one thing immediately comes to mind - he would be an excellent Minister of Finance and Economic Planning! By the time he would have completed his crash programme in political talk, he would watch replays of his Western Region speeches and see that he would have performed better, in terms of scoring political points. Floating voters His immediate task will be to convince the around 40% of Ghanaian voters who are classified as floating why they should vote for the NPP and Nana Akufo Addo. Crowds like those at Kasoa, Takoradi and Sekondi are the core supporters of the NPP who can be classified as the already converted. Fortunately for Dr. Bawumia, one of the great concerns of the Ghanaian voter is the economy and how it affects him/her. Whilst the NDC is likely to use the current economic hardships as an example of Dr. Bawumia's failure as a technocrat, it is up to him, the NPP running mate, to explain, in simple but effective language, how the current economic policies will put Ghana in good position to the next economic level; Maintain his political freshness One of the reasons the NDC running mate appeals to many floating voters is the decent language he uses. One may disagree with his analysis or opinions but Ghanaians have become increasingly tired of politicians who use insults as campaign weapons, and dodge issues. Dr. Bawumia must resist the temptation to use insulting words. calm latent tensions in the NPP Through no fault of his, Dr. Bawumia is facing some latent opposition from within some sections of his party that the Nana Akufo Addo camp had effectively used the argument of the NPP rewarding persons for long service to the political tradition with such positions last December. Such NPP activists will NOT go out and campaign for the NDC, no. But there is the possibility of apathy and once he is able to bring all such persons on board, then he would have taken a giant step in being a politically effective running mate. Author: Ben Ephson of the Daily Dispatch