Nduom takes a 'bow' from CPP

The 2008 flagbearer of the Convention People's Party has temporarily suspended any form of campaign ahead of the party's presidential primaries.

A member of Nduom's campaign team, Richard Nii Armah Nkunim confirmed this at a press conference in Accra on Tuesday.

The announcement follows a war or words between Nduom's supporters and a section of the national executives of the party led by the chairman, Samia Nkrumah.

After a careful consideration and a thorough assessment of the situation in the party Dr. Nduom has decided to hold on to his campaign, he explained.

“There is a planned strategy to frustrate and humiliate and even harass Dr. Nduom to force him out of the party. If that fails their Plan B is to disqualify him from the presidential primaries of the party. From today, Dr. Nduom will assume a back seat in the CPP to avoid being criticized of overshadowing the leadership and taking over the party.

“Dr. Nduom will stop all campaign and regular activities with regional and constituency executives of the CPP,” Nkunim stated.

The decision, he said, is to allow for a level playing field for all other aspiring candidates, including Bright Akwetey, Prof Agyemang Badu-Akosa and George Opesika Aggudey to have equal access to the delegates.

Henceforth, he said, the media must refrain from calling Dr. Nduom a presidential candidate until the party officially opens nominations and elects a flagbearer.

He said the 2008 flagbearer would only comment in his personal capacity on pertinent issues that affect the country and advised all supporters to “show respect” to the national executives of the party.

Dr. Nduom also dismissed calls for the CPP to concentrate on Parliamentary elections and not to field a presidential candidate.

The party has welcomed the decision by Dr. Nduom, albeit with some concerns.

Nii Armah Akomfrah, Head of Communications of the party said the party was yet to receive a formal notification of Nduom's intentions.

He said all misunderstandings between Nduom and the party executives had been addressed through the announcement of the party calendar for the presidential primaries.