The Heritage newspaper says three major blocs are likely to emerge before the ruling New Patriotic Party goes to congress on December 22, in spite of each of the eighteen 'water testers' having already paid GH¢5,000 to pick forms and are ready to give the mandatory GH¢250,000 to file their nominations. “Two titanic groups will emerge, one from Ashanti and the other from the Eastern region. These could be to some extent, called the Asante clique versus the Akyem clique - though the picture is bound to be modified as some non-Asantes and non-Akyems will join one or the other group. “Another major force would remain, that of Alhaji Aliu Mahama's, which does not seem to be gunning for strong alliances yet.” According to the paper, if the alliance or camp merger does not happen before the election, it will probably occur after the party has voted but failed to produce an outright winner. The Asante group would mainly rally around John Alan Kwadwo Kyerernaten, Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku and Dr. Kwame Addo-Kufuor, with the minuscule following of John Kodua being thrown in. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo will head the Eastern group as the candidate, with Yaw Osafo Maafo, Felix Owusu-Adjapong and Dan Botwe throwing in their support. “This is the type of story tipped to be denied vehemently, if reviewed on radio but that is part of the politics and strategy. Informants tell The Heritage that, at this stage, if a candidate openly told the public that he would go into an alliance, it could send wrong signals to his followers who would then drift to where their candidate was said to be heading for, or elsewhere.” But the paper said an insider at the Akufo-Addo camp claims that "Yaw Osafo has virtually come to our camp and Owusu-Adjapong is also with us." That sort of underscores the formation of the Eastern bloc. Mr. Osafo Maafo is known to be having a good relationship with the former general secretary, Botwe, and they have all along been on good terms, they could some day merge, it has been learnt. Again, this is something that has been denied and will be denied again for now. It is known that, at least, one man does media relations for both Dr. Addo-Kufuor and Alan Kyerematen but there is also some information to the effect that some more relations of both men are supporting both candidates. And that means both have some connection, even if a loose one. "Etia ne etia enka nti a, na yennka se yaanom emefa nko", loosely translated, if two relations are at loggerheads, they still find a common cause to fight a common enemy, and according to the paper, this was how a relation of both the former Defence Minister and Alan captured the relationship, meaning, even though there may be differences between the two, they wouldn't sit down for an 'outsider' to come and pick the coveted candidature from Ashanti. "The elders will prevail on them at the right time and Dr. Addo-Kufuor will come to support Alan," was how the source ended the intimation. Another source had a month ago hinted that Addo-Kufuor, rather, would benefit from the negotiation: Alan would be asked to throw his weight behind him and bid his time. That sounds contradictory, but not really as, whatever the case, there could be an alliance between the two. Indeed, the second option seems less likely now that the popularity of Alan seems to have so much appreciated after he had taken Accra by storm on Monday, September 24, while submitting his nomination forms. The same person doing media relations work for both men does the same job for the Ga-born candidate, Prof. Mike Oquaye, and he is tipped to be one person in the Ashanti group as an outsider. The alliances, according to The Heritage's information and analysis, are not going to be as a result of camaraderie mainly; they are going to be marriages of convenience. The most important reason is that, no candidate is likely to garner more than half of the over 2,300 votes at the end of the votes count. Unlike in 1992 when Albert Adu Boahen's popularity towered above all five other contestants and in '96 and '98 when John Agyekum Kufuor worked harder than all others to win 'one-touch', the terrain has changed. Campaign methods have far improved and each and every aspirant has put in nearly his utmost, scattering the regional and constituency executives among candidates, who, incidentally, are far more than ever before. Yesterday, a Research International's poll result published in the Daily Guide gave the candidate with the best chance, Akufo-Addo, 30% of the votes; Aliu Mahama, 23%; while the remaining 16 share the rest, 47%. And that is a compelling reason for the realistic candidate to seek alliance now or prepare the ground for one when first voting fails to produce an outright winner. Source: The Heritage