Some of the supporters saw the selection of Mr Mahama as the choice of the people, while others believed his selection was the best to propel the NDC to power.

From the Eastern Regional capital, Koforidua, A. Kofoya-Tetteh reports that the executive of the NDC described the choice of Mr Mahama as the best to propel the party to victory at the December polls.

The Eastern Regional Secretary of the NDC, Mr Anthony Gyampoh, said the selection of Mr Mahama would augur well for the party to dislodge the New Patriotic Party (NPP) at the polls.

He said the executive was happy with the choice because a survey conducted in the region prior to Mr Mahama’s selection indicated that his partnership with Professor Mills would help a lot in propelling the NDC to victory.

From Tamale, Zakaria Alhassan reports that the leadership of the NDC in the Northern Region said since the party’s constitution gave the mandate to the flag bearer to make his own choice, what it had to do now was to rally behind Prof. Mills’s pick and garner more support for the party to win back power.

The Northern Regional Chairman of the NDC, Alhaji Sumani Zakari, therefore, urged the rank and file and the power brokers in the NDC to bury their differences and come together as a united force to lead the party to victory in the December elections, as “Ghanaians are yearning for us to come back and lead them to salvation”.

When the paper, in its April 1, 2008 issue hinted about the choice of Mr Mahama as the NDC running mate, it generated much furore in the Tamale metropolis, leading to a youth group of the party invading the regional party office where they defaced the posters of Prof. Mills and the party.

They further threatened to burn down the office if a Muslim was not chosen to partner the NDC flag bearer.

Alhaji Zakari indicated that the party’s leadership in the region had since met with the various interest groups, during which the leadership impressed upon them to exercise maximum restraint in the face of the selection of the running mate.

An ardent supporter of the NDC, Yussif Yahaya, described the choice of Mahama over his preferred candidate, Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni, as unfortunate, but he was quick to add, “Even though I am disappointed, I will still campaign and vote for the party in the general election.”

The Brong Ahafo Regional Chairman of the NDC, Mr John Owusu Agyeman, stated that he saw the decision by Prof Mills in selecting Mr Mahama as a popular choice that was acceptable to both insiders and outsiders of the party, reports Samuel Duodu from Sunyani.

“We the party executives in Brong Ahafo wish to congratulate Prof Mills on listening to the generality of the electorate in choosing Mr Mahama,” he stated.

“Again, we congratulate Mr Mahama on his selection as the running mate of Prof Mills. His choice is the result of his meritorious service to the party and Mother Ghana,” the regional chairman added.

Mr Agyeman, however, expressed the hope that Mr Mahama would continue to play his part to enable the NDC win the election in 2008.

Moses Dotsey Aklorbortu reports from Takoradi that a former Chief Executive for the Ahanta East metropolis under the NDC administration, Col Kaku Korsah, said it had been the wish of the Western Regional NDC that Mr Mahama should be selected among the four candidates.

He said there was a complete paradigm shift on the political front and that any well-meaning party needed to choose “appealing and marketable candidates who will not just ensure victory in 2008 but also consolidate it”.

The Regional Administrator of the party, Mr Kojo Barty, said they welcomed the choice and that “from all indications John was the obvious choice. We have done our selection; it is now time to come together as one family under the umbrella to seal the party’s victory, come December this year”.

Some residents of the metropolis were of the view that Mr Mahama and Prof Mills would make a perfect team, since they were among the most respected politicians in the country.

From Wa, George Folley Quaye reports that while NDC supporters received the news of Mr Mahama’s selection with joy, 

Source: Daily Graphic