CPP Stalwarts Urged to Contest Parliamentary Seats

A research fellow at the Institute of African Studies Dr Opoku Aidoo,, has called on prominent members of the Convention Peoples Party (CPP)to go back to their local constituencies to contest for seats for the party in order to make the party visible and attractive to the Ghanaian electorate.

He said the party boasts of important personalities like Professor Agyemang Badu Akosa, Lawyer Bright Akwetey and George Aggudey and many others who have made an enduring impact on the political debate thereby gaining some place in the political consciousness of many Ghanaians , which make them strong contenders for parliamentary seats in the areas they hail from.

Speaking to the Daily Graphic in Accra yesterday, Dr Aidoo who is also a leading member of the CPP said Professor Akosa for instance was a huge personality who had in the last two decades contributed to debates on public policy and would be a great competitor , if he decided to contest the Mampong seat in the Ashanti Region where he hails from. Bright Akwetey who recently lost the bid to contest the Presidential seat on the ticket of the CPP has been marketed enough to contest one of the seats in Accra where he hails from.

He therefore urged them to hold themselves in readiness when nominations for the parliamentary elections on the ticket of the party opens , since the CPP stands to benefit if these stalwarts took the challenge rather than remained in Accra and limited their activities to political discourse.

The CPP, he said must learn from some of the 17 presidential aspirants of the New Patriotic Party who after failing to secure the presidential ticket decided to contest the various parliamentary slots in the 2008 elections and made reference to Hackman Owusu Agyemang, Dan Botwe and Dr Kwabena Arthur Kennedy and others after losing the bid to contest as presidential candidates on the ticket of the NPP decided to contest at the parliamentary level with two of them being successful .

He contended that the CPP should continue to build parliamentary strength by pursuing a deliberate programme in what he referred to as a strategy of power since this could be realised by alliances with either the NPP or the NDC in constituencies where the CPP is relatively strong to help haul more seats in parliament.

On the chances of the newly elected presidential candidate for the party, Dr Abu Sakara, Dr.Aidoo who contested the 2004 and 2008 parliamentary elections on the ticket of the CPP, described Dr Sakara as a credible and competent candidate, but vigorous campaigning is requiredto market him very well.

“Dr Sakara has not been marketed very well compared to the other candidates who will be seeking the high office of the President and need both material and spirited support to increase his visibility”, he stated.

“He also need a good running mate from the South who is credible and capable of bringing votes to compliment his efforts”, he added.