Statement: ON THE PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES OF THE CPP

PRESS STATEMENT
Organised By Constituency Executives in Greater Accra – CPP
15TH NOV. 2011

Good morning Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press,

We have called you here today to state our candid opinion on the recent insinuation by the General Secretary of our party, Mr. Ivor Kobina Greenstreet and the National Chairperson, Hon. Samia Nkrumah on Citi fm and Choice fm respectively, stating that the CPP congress to elect the flagbearer for the party cannot come on until deep into next year 2012.
We were profoundly disappointed on hearing such news. We find it hard to appreciate the rationale, logic and constitutionality of such a position. We wish to state here and now that such a position is not only obnoxious, but whimsical and capricious.
We are in no doubt about the contestability of this unfortunate news not only legally but also morally and organizationally. This party needs all the peace and unity of purpose it can marshall. National Office holders should conduct themselves with circumspection so as not to rock the boat.
The CPP is a mass democratic organization, with a constitution and clearly demarcated rules, regulations, powers, processes and functions. Nobody or group or people can arrogate to themselves powers that are not theirs, especially in matters as sensitive as the Presidential primaries, a matter central to the organizational preparedness of the party for election 2012.
Such actions could and do arouse suspicions of sinister motives. We want to state unambiguously that any illegality will elicit firm, stout and tenacious resistance from members of this party.
Ladies and Gentlemen, among the numerous problems confronting the CPP is the late organization of internal elections in preparation for National Elections. This denies the party the opportunity to repair, reorganize, strategize and prepare adequately for National Elections accounting among others for a woeful performance in the past.
We believe this informed the last administration to fast track the recently held congress that elected the national leadership, foregoing part of their mandate in the process. We demand that the presidential primaries be held immediately and not later than constitutionally mandated.
There can be no reason whatsoever not to do so.
Ladies and Gentlemen, there are a number of arguments out there that seeks to justify late congress and even no presidential primaries at all. We find this argument spurious and untenable.
1. There are those who argue that the CPP has weak structures and in some cases no structures at all, this is true, but the consequential argument that this should be fixed before the presidential primaries is neither here nor there.

In the first place, the competition among flagbearership aspirants itself is a veritable organizational tool that can be used to enhance the structures of the party in the constituencies.

Secondly, the current national leadership was elected at a congress of these same weak structures.

Thirdly, given time limitation, reorganization should go in tandem with the presidential primaries as constituency and regional executives are already in place. This will allow the CPP the opportunity to present a credible candidate who will have enough time to prepare and market himself.

2. There are also those who argue that the CPP has weak structures, the CPP has only one member of parliament, the CPP is too deep in the political doldrums and cannot win an election in the near future, so let us forget about fielding a presidential candidate and concentrate on upping our parliamentary representation. This is also vanity. We resisted such a position in 2004 and will resist it today and tomorrow. This argument is bogus and flies in the face of organizational reality.

We dare to say without any contradiction that, the CPP will be worse off without the early election of a presidential candidate. As grassroot activists, we can say without a doubt that most voters will not vote for a parliamentary candidate without an arrow head such as a presidential candidate.
Let us face it, exceptions cannot be the rule.
Politics is a fluid game sometimes unpredictable; a lot of things can happen and change in a matter of days. The Patriotic Front (PF) of Zambia represents a real case for us to appreciate. The CPP can also rise to the occasion provided we do not allow pessimism to divide our front.
The CPP has men and women of eminence and achievement who are capable of leading this country out of the socio-economic doldrums we find ourselves in, under the circus of governance being foisted on us since the overthrow of our illustrious founder Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
The CPP should not deny these men of ‘Timber and Caliber’ the opportunity to seek the mandate of the people of Ghana to lift the country from the abysmal conditions that confront us.
We believe that the CPP needs leaders who are fence builders and menders, leaders who strive to galvanize the party, who work tirelessly to forge a modicum of unity based on what unites us and not what divides us.
This party needs honourable and sincere leaders who can stand their own in furtherance of the independent development of the party. Let no one assume a ‘‘holier than thou’’ attitude and delude themselves into thinking they own this party.
Finally, we demand that the presidential primaries must be conducted before the end of December 2011 as stipulated in the CPP constitution to save our party from unnecessary strife.

Long Live the CPP
Long Live the Republic of Ghana
Thank you

Spokesperson:
Mohammed Houghas
0200-142354