New Nkrumahist Party In The Offing

The Convention People's Party (CPP) Member of Parliament for Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem (KEEA), Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, has confirmed that there is a new political party with Nkrumahist ideology in the offing.

Dr Nduom who referred to the new party as a movement said it would have a new name, symbol and motto but Nkrumahist ideology.

According to him, over the years people who claimed to be dyed in the wool CPP members had held on to the name, symbol and motto of the CPP, notwithstanding the fortunes of the party.

They held on to those things because to them the red cockerel, the forward ever and the backwards never motto and the name CPP identified them as Nkrumahists and cared less about how to unite all groups and individuals with Nkrumahist ideologies to achieve the ultimate objective of having a formidable political party.

Dr Nduom, who is also the Minister of Public Sector Reform, was speaking to the Daily Graphic after the signing of a memorandum of understanding between his ministry and the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) for AMA guards to ensure that hawkers and unauthorised vehicles did not loiter at the ministries area.

He expressed worry that some people who claimed to be staunch Nkrumahists had failed to realise that entering into unity talks with other like-minded groups involved giving concessions as far as the names, symbol and motto of the party were concerned.

Dr Nduom, who declined to mention the name of the new party, referred to it as a new movement and said it had a large following from both within and outside the country.

He said the movement, which had the support of many Nkrumahists, most of whom were not satisfied with the way and manner things were moving, believed that a new movement with a new name, motto, symbol but with the vision, mission and the ideology of Dr Kwame Nkrumah would attract all Nkrumahists.

He cited the instance of the People's National Convention (PNC), other Nkrumahist parties and groups that had been yearning for unity with the CPP over the years but had to forget about it because some people in the CPP preferred to hold on to the motto, name, and symbol to having a united Nkrumahist front.

Dr Nduom reiterated his assertion that names, symbols and motto did not win elections, and that what people were looking for was a united party that had a strong leadership which could reach the nooks and crannies of the country to attract votes and win political power to meet the aspirations of the people.

On Tuesday, Mr Kwesi Pratt Jnr, Chairman of the Publicity Committee of the CPP, on an Accra based radio station, also stated that over reliance on the name, symbol and motto of the CPP would not earn the party the capability to attract voters to win power.

He stated that what the party needed were dedicated members and leaders who would work assiduously to prove to Ghanaians that the CPP was a credible government in waiting, not in words but in deed.

Mr Pratt, who is also the Managing Editor of The Insight newspaper, was of the view that the tug of war between Nkrumahists about the supremacy of the red cockerel or the coconut as the symbol for a united Nkrumahist party was unnecessary.

However, he condemned members of the CPP who in their bid to satisfy their personal interests had not kept faith with the CPP and moved to other political traditions. He urged them to be content with their party and work towards its stability.

He asked members of the CPP to take a cue from the New Patriotic Party whose predecessor enjoyed power for only 27 months from 1969, but whose members kept faith with the tradition and worked to strengthen it over the years till they finally won power in 2000.

The Patriots, a group within the CPP, vehemently oppose any unity talks that would take away the symbol, the motto and the name of the CPP.

They argue that since the CPP was formed by Dr Nkrumah, all those who profess to be true Nkrumahists must not look for concession from the CPP before joining it, “they should come back home unconditionally,” they insist.

Mr Michael Dede, a leading member of the CPP, recently accused Dr Nduom of clandestinely using the name of the CPP to mobilise members of the CPP to form his party.

He alleged that Dr Nduom, who had secured some offices for his new party in some parts of the country, had assured those he was able to draw into his fold that very soon he would make the symbol of the new party known.

Dr Nduom denied all these allegations.

Story by Donald Ato Dapatem