OPPOSITION ALLIANCE FOR ELECTION 2000: The End of the Road

Statement read by Presidential Candidate, Dr. Charles Wereko-Brobby at Press Conference on Monday August 21, 2000.

As the campaign for Election 2000 has gathered momentum, the majority of Ghanaians have sought clear and unambiguous answers to three key questions, namely:

1. Will the Opposition Parties come together to contest the Elections and if so, what form will the cooperation take? ;

2. Will your Party contest all the 200 Parliamentary seats? ; and,

3. Who will be the vice-presidential Candidate of your party?

To date, our party's position has been that since serious efforts were being made to answer the first question in an affirmative manner, answers to the second and third questions would have to await the outcome of the formal deliberations on the question of Opposition alliance.

1. After nearly a year of consultations and some joint initiatives, and mindful of the fact that the nomination papers for the Presidential and Parliamentary elections will be available within the next 48-72 hours, we have decided that it is time for us to level with the people of Ghana, look them straight in the eyes and tell them that efforts to present a strong and united Opposition challenge at this year's elections will have come to nought. Consistent with our strong belief in the politics of candour and transparency, we hold the view that the public has a right to know the truth NOW, and not have to wait till September 12, 2000, the day of nominations, to draw their own conclusions.

1. The United Ghana Movement (UGM) has always advocated that a common Opposition platform for Election 2000, comprising: 1) a Common Presidential Ticket; 2) Single Parliamentary Candidates in all 200 constituencies; and, 3) a Common Programme or Manifesto, was the most desirable form of cooperation. Our view was informed by two fundamental objectives; namely: 1) the absolute imperative to wrestle Executive Power from the incumbent party; and, 2) the overwhelming perception of demand by the Ghanaian public for the Opposition to come together ("Kabom Preko" as some dubbed it ).

1. After almost a year of trying we are sorry to report that the prospects of the five JAC Opposition parties fighting the elections on a common platform, either wholly or even partially, are absolutely nil. We do not believe that anything will happen in the next three weeks to achieve that which we have not accomplished so far. Unfolding events over recent weeks have pointed decidedly towards the failure of the endeavour, but we have maintained our resolve to press on, in spite of the receding hope. For the UGM, we have reached the end of the road, without getting to our desired first stop of Common Opposition Platform for Election 2000.

1. Sad as it is that we must now abandon the JAC car pool, we have to press on to the final destination, which is, to elect a new and more capable government to reverse the worsening misery of poverty and loss of self-esteem which has engulfed the majority of people. Our party will now concentrate its efforts on building on the distinctive mark of quality choice which has informed the presentation of our polices and programmes to the electorate since we started our Campaign road show last May. We want to focus our energies on assuring and convincing the overwhelming majority of Ghanaians that the UGM is best placed to deliver substantial and tangible improvements in their well-being and should therefore vote massively for us in the elections.

1. Consistent with the new realities, the UGM has taken the following decisions:

1. We have selected and will soon introduce our vice- presidential Candidate to the electorate;

1. We will aim to present candidates for all the 200 Parliamentary contests;

1. We will hold a national congress at the beginning of September to formally present our manifesto and introduce our Parliamentary candidates.

1. These decisions are intended to strengthen the Party's chances of achieving the maximum synergistic benefits from the simultaneous conduct of the Presidential and Parliamentary elections on the same day. They also underscore the premise for our call for a common Presidential platform that since the Constitution has bestowed so much Executive authority in the Presidency, winning that race has to be the ultimate object for Election 2000. The truth is that, in Ghana, THE EXECUTIVE HAS THE SOLE PREROGATIVE OF PROPOSING WHILE THE LEGISLATURE ONLY SCRUTINISES AND TINKERS. Even if we thought this was wrong, we cannot amend or improve on it without first securing the Presidency.

1. We had hoped that the very successful joint demonstration of November 25, 1999, by five Opposition parties operating under the aegis of the Joint Action Committee (JAC), provided a very positive base to build a strong and durable common platform for this year's elections. Indeed, the demonstration confirmed and rekindled the hope to many people that a strong, united and purposeful Opposition presented the best possible option for victory at this year's elections. Consequently, JAC, which had started as an ad-hoc body for the sole purpose of organising the demonstration, was retained as a standing body to explore avenues for consolidating cooperation of its member parties for Election 2000.

1. We do not believe that any purpose will be served by spending any time on what might have been or who should be blamed. However, in our view, it is important to place the important milestones leading to today's conclusion on the record. We have therefore prepared a chronology of the substantial events that involved our party and informed the conclusion we have presented to you today. We will be more than happy to amplify and clarify any aspects of the events included in the chronology.

1. A Change of Government at Election 2000 is a must. The prospects of achieving this would have been far better with a scenario that presented the electorate with a clear and simple choice between the failed incumbency and a single, purposeful and focussed alternative. That is not to be. However, the UGM will continue to demonstrate that it is the much needed breadth of fresh air that will drive away the stench of cynicism and despair from our politics and restore the hope of the millions of our people that Black Africa's first independent country is ready for A FRESH START in the new century of the third millennium.

"Shi ke Nan" Long Live Ghana.