CPP Accuse NPP of Sowing Discord

Some partisans of Ghana's opposition Convention People's Party (CPP) are accusing the ruling party of a calculated plot to derail their party ahead of the December 7th general elections. The national youth organizer of the CPP claims the party's presidential candidate is currently holding negotiations with the ruling New Patriotic Party to join its ranks and share in running government ministries after the election. But the ruling party rejected the accusation. CPP General Secretary Ladi Nylander tells reporter Peter Clottey that the presidential candidate is doing well ahead of the election.

"The whole story to me is rather bizarre. The point is that everybody has a copy of this letter where Dr. (Kwesi) Nduom (the CPP presidential candidate) is supposed to be running a one-man show. And I would really like to know from the national youth organizer what he means by a one-man show because whenever we go to work in the various constituencies, we work with the party executives. So I am not quite sure what the organizer means by Nduom running a one-party show," Nylander pointed out.

He described the accusation, which suggests that the presidential candidate of the CPP has been financially influenced by the ruling party, as baseless.

"Personally, I would say the accusation is hogwash, if you pardon my saying so. Dr. Nduom has consistently said the CPP this time is going as an independent party, and not only has he said it, but all of us have been working hard towards it. We are making inroads. When we go to the various constituencies, we witness that the ground is very good and fertile. And I mean yesterday, when we went to the central region, we saw how good our work is yielding good dividends," he said.

Nylander said the opposition CPP is determined to be the alternative to both the ruling NPP and the opposition NDC.

"We are sticking to our plan, and we are staying focused. We want to be an independent party and be the credible alternative to what is going on. And as far as I know Dr. Nduom has even said that he is not interested in being anybody's minister and that he wants to be the president. So I don't know where this story is coming from," Nylander noted.

He said the party's chances ahead of the December election is very bright despite polls showing it is trailing the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).

"Polls are polls, and the real poll is going to be on December 7. We've got our own poll and the situation is not at all what we hear. I have seen two polls so far, one showing the NPP way ahead, and the other showing the NDC way ahead. So one has to ask what is going and what is coming? We have done our own polls, and we are comfortable with where we are. We want to cause a significant upset and of course we will," he said.

Nylander said the party would only decide its next line of action after there is no clear winner during the first round of election on December 7.

"If there is no clear winner, then obviously there would be a second round, and we would deal with it when we get there. It would be a matter of who joins the CPP. Everybody is saying who would the CPP join. Well, we want to ask who would join the CPP?" Nylander asked.

Kwabena Bonfreh, who is the national youth organizer of the CPP, challenged the presidential candidate to refute recent allegations in the Ghanaian media, which suggest that CPP presidential candidate Nduom has been holding talks with the ruling party to serve as a minister if the ruling party wins the December election.

Bomfreh sent a letter to executive members of the CPP, effectively challenging Nduom to answer newspaper allegations that he has been negotiating for ministerial positions with the ruling New Patriotic Party and main opposition National Democratic Congress.

However, he dismissed allegations that he may have been financially influenced to create confusion within the ranks of the CPP. He challenged anyone to come out with evidence.

Bomfreh found it weird that Nduom, for months, refused publicly to rebut the story or at least drag the newspaper to the National Media Commission.