Veep Fights Hannah Tetteh -Over 2016 Running Mate Slot

Even before President John Dramani Mahama gets answers to the ailing economy to reduce the hardship in the country, two senior members of his government are engaged in a cat and mouse fight over who partners him going into the 2016 elections. Though the next presidential election is two years away and the ruling party is yet to elect new executives from the branch through to constituencies, region and to the national level, Vice-President Paa Kwesi Bekoe Amissah Arthur and Foreign Affairs Minister Madam Hannah Serwah Tetteh are engrossed in a fierce struggle over who wins President Mahama�s favour as the next running mate. While rumors of Madam Hannah Tetteh�s possible running-mate bid for 2016 has been making rounds for some time now, the speculation gained currency when a youth group with strong ties to the ruling National Democratic Congress, NDC TEIN, last week accused her of sabotaging the vice-president so she could take over his position. The group, suspected to have links with the vice-president claimed the Awutu Senya West Member of Parliament (MP) is using her privileged position as one of the strong pillars and voices in the ruling party to promote her vice-presidential ambition, thereby �killing� the chances of the not-so-much visible vice-president. The group further alleged that unlike under former president Rawlings where the late Mills was widely marketed to step into the shoes of Rawlings, and the late Mills in turn also did same for President Mahama, the case of the present vice-president has been totally different. In a lengthy communiqu� to the media, the NDC group noted that, in spite of the countless media reports suggesting the Foreign Minister�s 2016 vice-presidential ambition, she never for once came out to distance herself from any of the reports. The ineffectiveness and invisibility of the vice-president the group proclaimed is as a result of Madam Hannah Tetteh�s dream to dislodge him from the number two position, hence the calculated scheme to make sure he fails. As if by design and to indicate the �fight� over the next running mate bid between Vice President Amissah Arthur and Foreign Affairs Minister, Hannah Tetteh, another lengthy article pregnant with serious allegations emerged within twenty four hours as a direct response to the TEIN NDC. The article, which was written by an obvious Hannah Tetteh loyalist, one Arthur Williams accused vice president Amissah Arthur and a presidential staffer, Alhaji Baba Kamara of plotting to destroy Madam Hannah Tetteh�s political career. Parts of Arthur Williams articled reads: �I strongly believe that the NDC needs to be planning for a successor for 2020 when the second mandate of our beloved President Mahama would expired after the coming victory in 2016. So, if that is the case, then the vice-president should give way for a younger person to partner President Mahama for the 2016 election.� �Then after our victory in 2016, the person while serving as a vice-president can be marketed effectively to ensure a smooth transition in 2020. In my opinion, no other person deserves this position than the current foreign affairs minister, Hon. Hannah Tetteh. She has an impeccable record as a legal practitioner, a Member of Parliament and a cabinet minister. She had also served our party effectively when we were in opposition with commitment and vigor. She is a very competent and articulate person and seems to know what she is about when it comes to her work.� As the fight between the two surrogates of the Veep and the Awutu Senya West legislator generated wild discussions in both the mass and social media, Madam Hannah Tetteh was for the first time compelled to break her silence on the matter. She wrote on her facebook wall: �For the record, I think we have an experienced person in His Excellency the VP who is a good support to His Excellency the President. To the best of my knowledge all members of the Executive - VP, Ministers, Chief Executives, MMDCE's etc. work to support the President because he is the main leader the public votes for, and the rest of us are the supporting cast. The President's success is our success. We are yet to conduct our Constituency, Regional & National Congresses/Party elections. That must happen before we confirm our President as our Candidate for 2016. With all of these important Party events yet to take place, how can the issue of selection of a VP be a serious issue for discussion & the posting of statements on Ghanaweb? His Excellency the President has had no discussion with me on this matter. I have no interest & have not on any platform campaigned to be VP, neither have I tasked any surrogates to campaign on my behalf, so please the next time the issue comes up on any media platform kindly dismiss it as the kind of divisive propaganda our opponents are encouraging to cause division amongst our rank.� Hannah Tetteh stated.