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With Dr Mahamudu Bawumia’s ongoing spirited door-to-door campaign ahead of the next general elections, it is now tacitly confirmed that Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has handed over the political baton to the consummate economist to square-off with his Northern brother, President John Dramani Mahama, in the 2016 general elections.

Confirming previous publications by The aL-hAJJ in the run-up to the New Patriotic Party’s flag bearer contest that Nana Akufo-Addo wanted to annex the 2016 flag bearer position only to later relinquish it to Dr Bawumia ahead of the next general elections, the twice unsuccessful vice-presidential candidate has begun a vigorous door-to-door campaign in a bid to supplant President Mahama.

Although acolytes of the former Foreign Affairs Minister under the Kufuor administration have openly denied such moves when this paper first broke the story, a recent leaked tape on which the Northern region Chairman of the NPP, Daniel Bugri Naabu, was captured explaining inner workings of the party also confirmed the publication.

The Nana Akufo-Addo trusted apostle and financier, among other things, revealed in the leaked tape that due to Nana Akufo-Addo’s advancing age; his running mate, Dr Bawumia, would be more visible and also would do much of the campaign in the forthcoming election.

Assuredly, Dr Bawumia has begun combing the nook and cranny of the country in a one-on-one campaign to court support for his ambition even before Nana Akufo-Addo makes the “big announcement” hopefully, few weeks to the filing of nomination with the Electoral Commission.

This paper had earlier reported that in order to ensure the leadership of the party does not slip back into the hands and control of the Kufuor/Ashanti faction of the party, he (Akufo Addo) would secure the flag bearer post and eventually relinquish it to his protégé, Bawumia.

Nana Akufo-Addo and his foremost aides including Gabby Asare-Otchere Darko, and Spokesperson Mustapha Hamid have consistently accused the Kufuor/Ashanti cabal of plotting the defeat of Nana Akufo-Addo in the last two elections.

Part of the scheme, party sources told this paper, was to get Dr Bawumia nominated as running mate immediately Nana Akufo-Addo was elected flag bearer and get him to be speaking more on issues relating to the economy in order to market him.

As soon as that hurdle is crossed, Nana Akufo-Addo, The aL-hAJJ reported, will announce his exit from the 2016 presidential elections race few days to the close of nomination by the EC in which case there wouldn’t be enough time for the NPP to go to congress to elect a new flag bearer, Dr Bawumia, thus instantly, would be name flag bearer after a sham special emergency congress.

And to enhance and actualize the scheme, Nana Akufo-Addo, it would be recall, hastily announced the nomination of Dr Bawumia as his running mate shortly after his selection as the flag bearer and got him to start bashing government on its handling of the country’s economy.

Indeed, the plan has been craftily couched in a way that almost every week, the former deputy Governor of the Central bank is in the news commenting on issues, particularly those relating to the economy.

This, he has recently stepped up with daily meetings with locals at market places, offices, homes, lorry stations and anywhere he meets them in order to market himself and sell the NPP message.

Party insiders say these developments feed into plans to get Dr Bawumia to lock horns with his fellow northern brother and National Democratic Congress’ hopeful candidate, President John Dramani Mahama, in the 2016 elections.