CPP accuses opponents of beating war drums

THE CONVENTION People's Party (CPP) has finally broken its long silence over what it termed as war drums being beaten by some political parties, and persistent attacks on its presidential candidate by some officials of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

The party has also accused the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Ellembele of tearing posters of the CPP, under the pretext that the presidential candidate of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, was visiting the constituency.

According to the CPP, it was unfortunate that there were certain developments ongoing in the country, which were not helpful, contrary to the preachings of the political parties for peace.

Addressing the news conference in Accra yesterday, Mr. David Ampofo, Chief Campaign Strategist of Nduom's campaign team, noted that while religious leaders, musicians and key individuals among the leadership of various political parties were preaching peace, it was clear to them that both the NPP and NDC were beating war drums.

“We want you to know that our eyes are red, very red, indeed. All our senses are alert. We want you to know that our campaign team is not happy about the attitude and activities of some of the other political parties, as we move to the last days of the campaign. We are worried about the war drums being beaten by some NPP and NDC people.”

Mr. Ampofo on the destruction of posters in Ellembele, where Mr. Freddie Blay is representing the CPP, but is being allegedly supported by the NPP with a promise of Minister of Justice and Attorney-General's position, he said, “We also have the situation in constituencies such as Ellembele, where the District Chief Executive, in the past few days, led people to destroy CPP posters, because the NPP presidential candidate was scheduled to visit the constituency.”

He continued, “When this was reported to the Police Commander in the District, he wouldn't talk to those he considered 'little people'. This attitude is similar to the one exhibited when the police prevented Mrs. Nduom from carrying out a campaign program in the Volta Region, because Mr. Akufo-Addo was expected.”

According Mr. Ampofo, with the determination of the NPP to maintain power, the party had been collecting voters ID cards from people, also under the pretext of MASLOC loans.

He also slammed the NPP of bussing people to transfer their votes, adding that it was against the electoral laws of this country to bribe anyone to vote for a particular party or candidate.

“There are reports that Regional Ministers are involved in these acts. A good number of these people are being transported from one town to another. Some of them are collecting their voter's identification cards to keep until the day of the election. There is something very wrong with this. When you pay people to transport a group of people, give them food, chop money and promise them more money come December 7, something improper and illegal is happening,” he said.

Dr. Ampofo, who was not enthused with such developments, said irrespective of such moves, Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom would continue to engage in a campaign of issues, but not engage in overly aggressive behaviour that would disturb the peace.

Accordingly, he underscored, the CPP, under Nduom, will not be party to the destabilisation of a nation that the former president Dr. Kwame Nkrumah fought for its independence.

He was quick to say, “But we want our voices to be heard loud and clear, that the leadership of the NDC and the NPP must call their people to order, and stop the acts of provocation, intimidation and wrongful acts in the run up to the elections. Ghana does not belong to them. Our state institutions and the religious organisations should all act in the name of peace before the elections, and not just talk peace.”

Recapping some promises of the NPP, which he claimed were not fulfilled, he asked, “What happened to the promise to bring Ghana into the Golden Age of Business? What happened to the NPP promise to build affordable houses? How many have been completed?'

He also indicated that the IEA debate had actually informed the general public about who Dr. Nduom is, and said that under the administration of Dr. Nduom, transparency would be the watch word, and that corruption and indiscipline would be attacked with a sense of urgency, so that “we can build a just and caring society that is prosperous.

When we say change, we must be clear that it is only through the CPP that something different, that is also positive, can happen in Ghana.”