Dr. Kwesi Nduom
Signals picked up by Today indicate that the decision by the 2008 presidential candidate of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom, to have “nothing” to do with the party, if it fails to unite with the People’s National Convention (PNC) for the 2012 election has struck worry chords within the echelon of the party.
A highly placed source at the Asylum Down headquarters’ of the CPP confided in Today that Dr. Nduom’s threat to withdraw his support from the party has indeed prompted several frantic calls from CPP members nation-wide, urging the party hierarchy “to immediately do something about the situation, before matters get out of hand”.
According to the source, while the 2008 CPP flag bearer’s decision has not only gone down well with party members tired of the stalemate in the CPP-PNC merger talks, it has also sent shivers down the spine of many a party executive both at the national and regional levels.
All the callers were of the firm belief that if the 2008 presidential candidate goes ahead with his decision, it could have dire consequences on the chances of the party in 2012.
The party, the source disclosed, concedes that Dr. Nduom has been instrumental in re-energizing CPP to date, and there is thus the widespread belief that there is more he could bring to the table to compliment efforts by the party’s rank and file to ensure the CPP eventually becomes a formidable force in Ghana politics.
The paper further gathered that whilst a small fraction of the party’s executive are opposed to Dr. Nduom’s prominent voice for a CPP-PNC merger, majority of them believe the merger concept is feasible and could enhance the chances of the united Nkrumaist two parties if they contest under one umbrella, hence his recent firm stand.
Speaking to this reporter on condition of anonymity, some members of the national executive, who are in the flow with Dr Nduom’s suggestion, called on the CPP Council of Elders to consider seriously the call for a CPP-PNC unity, and Dr. Nduom’s position on it.
“Clearly we have all seen the performance of the two parties (referring to PNC and CPP] in the past. And it is clear that the two parties stand a better chance in [becoming a greater force and] wining power when we join forces,” one of those party executives told Today.
The paper’s findings were corroborated by National Chairman of the party, Mr. Ladi Nylander, who stated categorically on an Accra-based radio station, Citi FM, that unless the CPP and PNC unite they will forever remain in the political wilderness.
Mr. Nylander affirmed that, any move to distort the unity talks of the two parties could compromise the cohesion of the CPP and the PNC and dip their collective chance in 2012.
While calling for a truce among the rank and file of the party, Mr. Nylander submitted that any attempt by Dr. Nduom to delink himself from the CPP would have an adverse effect on the party.
“We would also miss him (Dr. Nduom) if he decides to withdraw his support, because he has brought a lot of life and credibility to the party, and I pray he would rescind whatever decision he has taken or wants to take in future along the line he has stated,” he added.
The national chairman expressed the hope that all bottlenecks would be removed to ensure the unity of the two parties into one stronger and formidable party.
Additionally, a survey conducted by Today across sections of the country indicated that more than seventy (70) per cent of fully paid up members of the CPP are in support of Dr Nduom’s insistence on a union of PNC and CPP.
Whilst some of the respondents poured out their frustrations over the snail-pace of the unity talks between the two parties, others also urged the national executives on both sides to remain steadfast, work hard to restore the sinking image of the Nkrumaist front by persevering to unite the two sections.
In the estimation of the respondents, the cohesion of the Nkrumaist parties is supreme to any other personal or sectional interest, hence the need and urgency to unite into the one family with a common political purpose of old.
STORY: ATO KEELSON
