NDC, NPP Blamed for CPP's Woes

THE NEAR disintegration of the Convention People's Party (CPP), Ghana's premier political party, has been attributed to the political agenda by various regimes after the overthrow of the Nkrumah regime to destabilize the party.

Since the overthrow of the CPP government attempts have been made to keep the CPP away from the political scene.

Mention has been made of the Progress Party (PP) and the National Democratic Party (NDC) and lately the New Patriotic Party (NPP) manifesting the assertion that "The NPP is an opponent of CPP in the same way as the NDC is an opponent of CPP".

But Mr. Sam Riley Poku, a former Minister of Defence in the Nkrumah regime has assured that the CPP will fight against any move to further destabilize it.

Riley Poku who declared the position of an emerging true CPP told The Chronicle in an interview in Kumasi that a restructured CPP following the rekindled organizational ability was going to spring a mighty surprise for the nation at the impending elections.

He said the CPP was working to avoid all influences and rid the party of all bad elements and detractors from its fold towards building a true CPP.

The CPP elder said the party was currently mobilizing votes in the rural areas where about 76% of voters dwell.

Turning to the woes of the party Riley Poku said the CPP has been a victim of clear policy of destabilization and that the new line of destabilization started with the National Democratic Congress (NDC), which embarked on an agenda to absorb the membership of CPP from the onset.

According to the former Minister the NDC wanted to oust CPP completely by tactically luring a number of influential people into their fold in order to attract support.

Diagnosing the ills of the CPP Elder Riley Poku explained that it was in an attempt to free itself from further entanglement that the party entered into an alliance with the NPP in 1996 and 2000.

Elder Poku indicated that CPP went solo in the 2000 and rallied behind the NPP in the second round because it was a chance for the CPP to remove NDC, reorganize itself and secure power He noted that it was easier teaming up with a party with a different tradition to avoid a different tradition, which wanted to destroy the CPP.

Riley Poku, who blamed the NPP for not keeping faith with the CPP after throwing its weight behind it to secure power, criticized the all-inclusive policy of the ruling government saying it is an indication of NPP's true colour and a move to destabilize the CPP further by reneging on its promises for the alliance.

He said the NPP promised to allocate eight seats in Ashanti to the CPP but strangely ended up fielding candidates for all the 33 seats.

He said the NPP emulating Busia's PP is also equally blamable for the unfortunate development in the CPP currently.

He, however, thanked God that the Kufuor-led government did not do more for the CPP because it would have been difficult to disentangle themselves from "bondage" and ascribed the inability of the NPP to further infiltrate into the CPP membership to the "Nkrumah's spirit at work".

He cautioned all Nkrumahist parties to come together as one family stressing, " birds of the same feather flock together" Riley Poku who identified lack of cohesion among members of the party warned all true and principled Nkrumahists against flirtations with the NPP to make CPP independent.

He said flirting with another party is not the solution to our woes saying "It would be wrong and self defeatist to flirt with the NPP now and think that it would have the strength to counter moves of destabilization in the future." he said adding, "two ideologies (socialism and capitalism) cannot move together."

He also warned, "Flirting with another party with different ideology is improper because it would make nonsense of all efforts to build a united Nkrumahist front" and suggested that members rekindle the organizational ability of the party to capture political power.

He offered a suggestion to the Central Committee to deal with issues internally and not attack its leadership with disparaging remarks, which approach he described as wrong because it could destroy the party.

He observed that the party had machinery in the constitution to ensure that discipline is instilled in its members. The CPP Elder stressing the need for peace and harmony in building the party said he would go in for discipline even if it will cost the CPP a fortune at the elections.

Riley Poku also identified the inordinate ambition of some elements to become President at all cost and cautioned against hurling of insults by Presidential aspirants.

He said the struggle for political power is not war and that the real best thing to do is to send the correct messages to the electorate.