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The flagbearer aspirant of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has announced that he plans to maintain Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia as his running- mate in the 2016 elections if delegates of the party elect him to lead them into the 2016 elections. Dr. Bawumia, was the running-mate of Nana Addo in both the 2008 and 2012 general elections and many political watchers say he has matured politically and he is still the best bet for Nana Addo.Nana Addo, regarded as one of the favourites in the flagbearership race, has reiterated his desire to to have Dr. Bawumia partner him for the elections in 2016. �Definitely. You can�t even call it an open secret, it�s absolutely my intention. I�ve said so publicly already that were I to be privileged once again with the honour of leading this party, that I want to have Dr. Bawumia by my side,� he said on Metro TV�s Good Evening Ghana programme. �He�s been a tremendous asset to the party and to myself and he�ll make an extremely capable and effective Vice-President of Ghana and help us. I have a great deal of confidence in him and we work well together,� he added. However, Nana Addo added that he would consult the National Council of the party before making his decision official, per the requirements of the party�s constitution.Dr. Bawumia�s rigorous campaign in the three regions of the North in the last elections, is said to have shored up the NPP�s votes in those regions. He is also said to appeal to the masses there because he hails from the Northern Region. Also, the NPP traditionally prefers the balance of having a southerner to partner a northerner to lead the party in general elections.