CPP Spells Out Criteria For Flagbearership Contest

The Convention Peoples Party (CPP) on Tuesday spelt out qualifications criteria for the party�s flagbearership contest slated tentatively for the first quarter of next year. �The criteria seeks to propel the party to offer Ghana's Election 2012 a Presidential Candidate with integrity and sincerity,� Ms Samia Yaba Nkrumah, CPP National Chairman and Leader stated at a press conference attended by national executives council members in Accra. The CPP said the flag bearer aspirant must be someone whom Ghanaians could trust; a person who was consistent with his or her pronouncements and must have a close working relationship with the Party. "The aspirant must also be a unifier and does not foment discord within the Party and with the ability to inspire party activists to sacrifice.... We want to break away from the selfish way of doing politics,� Ms Nkrumah stated. Ms Nkrumah flanked by other national executives including Professor Edmund Delle, a former National Chairman and Leader, said the new leadership wanted to offer Ghanaians something different that could advance the party�s electoral fortunes. �I want all well-wishers inside and outside the party to be clear of what the challenges before the party are and to support us make this all important difference. �We the present leadership are endeavouring to change the party for better and not to remain as we are. We want to avoid the mistakes of the last General Elections which the Presidential candidate, Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom obtained only 1.3 per cent of the national vote and a single parliamentary seat victory. �Ours is a mandate of change and revival and this is what, with your support, we intend to do,� Ms Nkrumah stated. On the purported call for early congress by a section of the party members, the CPP National Chairperson described it as an act of sabotage and diversionary to create public disaffection for the current leadership in general and her leadership in particular. She said: �The party adopted the new constitution on the eve of the Extra-ordinary National Delegates Congress in September, the new Constitution is in transition, and we must all exercise restraint in our demands for strict adherence to provisions that project our individual cause. �We all know that the party�s new Constitution with a provision which stipulates that a Flag bearer is elected 24 months before general elections was adopted 16 months to the next general elections. �Nobody including flag bearer aspirants raised any constitutional constraint and the new executives have referred the issues to the Legal Committee of the party on how to address the operational challenge�. Ms Nkrumah called on the party members to make a decisive stand to act as men and women of conviction and principle. "Let us remember that this party was built on selflessness and self-determination and for freedom from oppression and exploitation. �We need your help to redeem this Party so that we can provide Ghanaians with politicians and programmes that will contribute to Ghana�s transformation. The CPP must change to pursue this agenda of equality�.