CPP decides on Nduom today

The Central Committee of the Convention People's Party is scheduled to hold a meeting today where they are expected to deliberate, amongst other things, the yet-to-be-launched new political party out of the existing Nkrumaist family.

The Statesman reported yesterday an interview with Paa Kwesi Nduom, the Minister of Public Sector Reform who is one of the brains behind the new party.

Dr Nduom told The Statesman he was prepared to "sacrifice" for the sake of the new party, which will offer a "credible challenge" to the two leading political parties, the ruling New Patriotic Party and the main opposition National Democratic Congress.

Together with together with other Members of Parliament from the CPP and the People"s National Congress, both of the Nkrumaist family, he is been vociferating for the move.

Among the three CPP MPs, Kojo Armah, MP for Evalue-Gwira, is seen as a committed CPP man at the party's headquarters, who will never betray the party by joining the new party.

However, a source at CPP headquarters said that as for Freddy Blay, Ellembelle MP, and Paa Kwasi Nduom, KEEA MP, the party can not vouch for their loyalty and commitment.

When The Statesman contacted Nii Noi Dwuona, the CPP General Secretary at the party's headquarters yesterday, he declined detailed comment and simply stated that the party's official position on the matter would be communicated to the media if the issue crops up at today's important meeting.

He said the CPP is not in a position to react to media reports because Dr Nduom might have been misinterpreted or misconstrued.

However, a source at the CPP head office told this paper that there was no way the matter would be ignored at the meeting by any serious political party such as the CPP.

Also speaking to The Statesman, J B Daniel, CPP Deputy General Secretary in charge of operations, said the timing of the latest attempt to float a new party out of Nkrumaist would further weaken and disintegrate the CPP.

He acknowledged that the CPP faces some difficulties including reorganisation and the need to work extra hard to make the party appeal to the people to be able to win 2008 elections.

According to him, forming a new political party is not a problem; the main challenges are rather how to put structures, machinery, finance, logistics, and human resources on the ground to become a formidable front and achieve political success.

He cited the example of Dan Lartey's Ghana Consolidated People's Party, which has made little ground and gained little support since it was founded in 1992. It has never won a seat, not even at local level.

It is not merely a case of creating a political party, but putting the necessary systems in place, he advised.

Mr Daniel, an admirer of Dr Nduom, insisted that the Public Sector Reform Minister is a "good material for the future," but he was unhappy with the manner in which the CPP MP was playing politics to achieve his ambition.

The CPP Deputy General Secretary, who claims to have advised Dr Nduom to begin his political career from the District Assembly level, he entreated the latter not to forsake the CPP but rather come on board and team up with leadership to improve the party's re-organisational effort.

Mr Daniel noted that CPP's Constitution stipulates that the party has the choice of entering into alliance with any political party depending on the circumstances during elections.