CPP MPs "unattached" to any political party

Accra, Aug. 28, GNA - The three Convention People's Party (CPP) Members of Parliament could be considered as "unattached" to any political party, one of them told the Ghana News Agency. This follows their dismissal from the Party by a group that met as the CPP's Central Committee in Kumasi in 2005.

One of the three MPs told the GNA that since the news about their dismissal came out last year, the Leadership of the Party had failed to rescind the decision taken in Kumasi.

Attempts the Elders of the Party made to get the Chairman of the Party, Dr Edmund Delle to reverse the decision was to no avail. The Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee, Mr Riley Poku resigned his position in the midst of the controversy surrounding the decision to dismiss the three Parliamentarians from the Party.

The new Chairman of the said Disciplinary Committee only wrote to request the MPs to appear before the Disciplinary Committee when invited to attend a meeting.

No meeting has been called. The three parliamentarians are: Mr Freddie Blay, First Deputy Speaker of Parliament and MP for Ellembelle; Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, MP for Kommenda, Edina, Aguafo Abirem and Minister of Public Sector Reform and Mr Kojo Armah, MP for Evalue Gwira.

In the meantime, the CPP has been hit by one leadership crisis after another. The team led by Dr Delle has been hit with a lawsuit and are in court in an action brought by members of the Party, who are trying to declare the Leadership unfit to manage the affairs of the CPP.

The MP said the Leadership had not been able to convene a Congress to decide on unity with the People's National Convention (PNC), adding that the PNC had come out to seek to withdraw from the unity process.

"The Leadership is in a tussle with a group called the Patriots, who are moving from region to region to attempt to take over the Party," the source said.

The Parliamentarian made it clear that none of the three had resigned from the CPP.

"But under the circumstances, we consider ourselves unattached and hold the right to go in whatever direction we choose when the time arrives.

"We have not joined any other Party. But we are making it public that we should not be considered to be tied to the apron strings of the CPP," the Member said.

He noted that the Party had ignored them completely since their dismissals were announced.

The same Member said they are concerned that the Leadership of the CPP was killing the Party. "This threatens our ability to return to Parliament if we contest the 2008 Elections on the CPP ticket." As the campaign for the 2008 Elections gears up the three MPs have given firm notice that they are unattached and would decide individually or collectively, which party to associate with for the next election or contest as independent candidates.