With the endorsement of Dr. Mahammadu Bawumia by the NPP last weekend as running mate to presidential candidate Nana Akufo-Addo, the party now matches its main rival, NDC in the one crucial constitutional requirement towards qualifying to contest the 2008 presidential elections.

Barring any force majeur or Act of God, the NDC and NPP tickets of Mills/Mahama and Akufo-Addo/Bawumiah respectively would together with what the CPP, PNC and DFP would come up with lead the country into Election 2008.

It is not an enviable position to be in, because out of these five political parties, only one ticket would be eventual winner either through a "one-touch" win or through a run-off. There may be disagreements and perhaps even the temptation to resort to violence to settle differences.

This is where the leadership of these presidential candidates and running mates would be in much demand. They would have to rein in their hardliners and ensure free, fair and above all peaceful elections. We were all witness to the flexing of muscles in the just-ended voter registration exercise.

What we learn from that experience is that if care is not taken, the December elections could go the way of many a typical African election: violence and mayhem The line-up of presidential candidates, and running mates, so far, is made up of highly educated and sophisticated people. We are counting on them to take us through this next political journey safely, peacefully and happily.