Mills May Not Run In 2012

There is a spread of speculation within the ruling National Democratic Congress that President Mills may not after all go for a second term, triggering another congress to nominate a new flagbearer. The speculation is rampant among two camps, the Nana Konadu camp and the John Mahama camp. According to sources within the Mahama camp, the President may go as far as resign from the Presidency early next year on the grounds of ill health. This would give the Vice President a head start to see off any challenge at the primaries. They interpret the recent quiet appointment of the Vice President as head of the Economic Management Team as part of the succession scheme. Those expected to pop up to contest in the event of a Mills-less congress are current Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing, Alban Bagbin; Betty Mould Iddrisu, Minister of Education; Foreign Minister, Mohammed Mumuni; former NDC Vice Chairman, Dr Ekwow Spio-Gabrah; Minister for Agriculture, Kwesi Ahwoi and Martin Amidu, Attorney General and Minister of Justice. But, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, who managed a paltry 3.1% in the July congress against President Mills, fancies her chances in anticipation of a split in the GAME front. The Konadu camp's version does not anticipate President Mills resigning from the Castle. They expect him to finish his term but not seek a second term. So why did the President go through the July congress if he had no intention of contesting for a second term? The answer may lie in a panic story that circulated widely within news desks and political circles in the night before President Mills picked up his nomination forms. According to the story that night, the President told his henchmen that he was not interested in picking the forms. He was impressed upon to do it for two strong reasons. One, that he was the only candidate capable of keeping the party together. Two, it was important for the future of the party for him to beat Mrs Rawlings well and good for the whole party and country to see her proverbial �smoothness level�. However, any possibility of a new congress is being resisted from the all-powerful Mills wing of the Castle. As one insider put it, "There is no way Ato Ahwoi, Koku Anyidoho and Nii Lantey Vanderpuye will agree to these manipulations to convince the President that a second term will not be in his interest. Not even Hippocrates, father of Western medicine, can convince them that Mills should not run."