Ghana ex-vice president to have 3rd run for top job

ACCRA, Dec 22 (Reuters) Ghana's opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Thursday nominated former Vice President John Atta Mills to contest presidential elections in 2008.

It will be the 62-year-old former law teacher's third attempt at the presidency, having lost in 2000 and 2004 to current President John Kufuor.

Mills served as deputy to former President Jerry Rawlings, a a retired air force officer who seized power in a coup in 1981 and ruled the country for nearly 20 years until stepping aside in 2000.

Mills won 81 per cent of the nominations yesterday to beat three other contestants.

Party officials said yesterday they had chosen their candidate two years early in order to allow him adequate time to campaign.

A faction of the NDC broke away earlier this year to start the Democratic Freedom Party (DFP), but party officials said the splinter group would not hurt their electoral fortunes.

Ghana, the world's second largest cocoa producer, next year celebrates the 50th anniversary of its independence from Britain.

REUTERS SP KN1637