The founder of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP), Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom has said no amount of money from the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) can get him to abandon his principles.

“I cannot join the NDC or the NPP or any other party. No amount of money can get me to abandon my independent principles,” the 2012 presidential candidate wrote on his Facebook page.

Dr Nduom, who left the Convention People’s Party to found the PPP said he and other founders of the PPP are independent-minded people who decided to put together an independent movement built on a progressive foundation.

“We are a political party because we want to stay together and propagate our ideas and principles. We are a political party also because the Electoral Commission would not allow us to be independent and still use the same agenda and manifesto,” he said.

Dr. Nduom, however, said he is open to the idea of collaborating with independent-minded people and political parties, who will agree to amend the 1992 Constitution to give power back to the people, so, they can elect their own District Chief Executives (DCEs), reduce the powers of the President, remove Parliamentarians as ministers, provide free, compulsory and continuous education to every child; and check corruption.

Should this coalition happen, Dr. Nduom said, “I can willingly take a back seat if that is what is needed for us to be successful. Ghana is more important than the ambition of any one of us. And soon, my participation in active partisan politics will come to an end”.