YAGBONWURA WANTS BONIFACE AS AKUFO-ADDO'S RUNNING MATE (PAGE 16)

Story: Vincent Adedze, Tamale

THE King of Gonjaland, Yagbonwura Abudu Bawa Doshie I, has entreated the Council of Elders of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to consider selecting the Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing, Alhaji Abubakar Saddique Boniface as the running mate of the NPP flag bearer, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, in the December election.
He noted that selecting Alhaji Saddique would brighten the chances of the party in the general election, particularly in northern Ghana, as well as the zongo communities across the length and breadth of the country.
“Our son has the track record of contributing immensely to the promotion of peace and the accelerated development of the area, particularly when he was appointed a regional minister,” the Yagbonwura further said.
The King stated this at Damongo in the West Gonja District when Alhaji Saddique called on him at his palace as part of his two-day working visit to the Northern Region.
The minister inspected a number of water and affordable housing projects and other facilities in the region.
The Yagbonwura recalled that before Alhaji Saddique left office as the Northern Regional Minister, he had initiated positive steps towards the realisation of lasting peace in Dagbon and the entire region and observed that his selection would further strengthen the region’s resolve to promote peace and development in the area.
Yagbonwura Doshie enumerated a number of development projects provided by the NPP in the Gonja area and stressed the need for the party to select Alhaji Saddique to “consolidate your good works in the region”.
He commended the government for creating three districts in the Gonja area — West, East and Central Gonja districts — as well as the construction of the Kumdi Bridge and the ongoing work on a bridge over the River Tachali in the West Gonja District.
At Daboya, the Wasipewura, Mumuni Anyame II, also appealed to Nana Akufo-Addo to consider selecting Alhaji Saddique as his running mate, since the NPP stood to gain a lot if that decision was taken.
The Wasipewura, however, called for the provision of more development projects in the area, particularly the creation of a separate district for Daboya and the rehabilitation of the poor road network in the area.
Alhaji Saddique, for his part, called on the youth in the area to avoid antagonism and lawlessness, since they were the “vibrant and most productive segment of the population in the country”.
He stressed the need for the youth to also support the electoral process to ensure violence-free elections in the area.