Accra, May 3, GNA - Aspiring National Chairman of the Convention People's Party (CPP), Ms Samia Yaba Nkrumah, on Tuesday challenged leading party personalities to demonstrate their political muscle by contesting for parliamentary seats in Election 2012.

"It is a fact that since 2000 our share of total votes cast in successive general elections has continued to decline; from 1.8 per cent in Election 2000 to one per cent in Election 2004 to a little over 1.3 per cent in Elections 2008," Ms Nkrumah stated at a meeting with Greater Accra Regional, constituency and ward executives of the party in Accra.

"In real terms, we have not made any significant progress in attracting and mobilising our core votes hence the need for CPP big wigs with political influence to contest for seats in Election 2012," she said at the meeting tagged 93The Vehicle for Radical Change in the CPP."

Ms Nkrumah noted that a careful analysis of CPP's abysmal performance indicated that 93as a party we have abandoned our core strategy as recommended by Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah". "Organisation determines everything=85as a political party we stand the risk of becoming irrelevant to our fellow citizens if this trend continues. That is why I am offering myself as a vehicle for radical change, a change that will make leadership connect with the rank and file, plan and organise with them."

Giving reasons why she was contesting for the CPP Chairmanship slot, Ms Nkrumah said her ambition was anchored on reconnecting with Ghanaians at the grassroots level and building and strengthening party structures at all levels.

She said she also stood for transparency and accountability to party members in particular and Ghanaians in general, facilitating a united Nkrumaist front to contest Elections 2012, re-packaging Nkrumaist programmes and sending them to the grassroots and making them appreciate them, and understanding and accepting viable alternatives.

Responding to a question, Ms Nkrumah explained that she stood for giving the CPP a new face and a new approach that would make majority of Ghanaians want to vote for the party in Election 2012. On the issues of Dr Sekou Nkrumah, her brother, joining opposing political forces to the father's legacy and how she intended to bring him back to the CPP fraternity, Ms Nkrumah said: 93Sekou, my=85 brother'= s issue, is a serious one and it pains me that one of Osagyefo's biological children is not in the party.

"I cannot speak for Sekou but I believe that when the CPP becomes a vibrant, organised and appealing political party, not only Sekou but numerous personalities from other parties will come back home. "Let's leave Sekou's rehabilitation to time; am very optimistic that we are capable of rallying support once again to attract people." On the unity of the Nkrumaist front, Ms Nkrumah said a united Nkrumaist front was important in the quest to recapture political power to continue the vision of our party.

"The passive sympathy and goodwill of the majority of Ghanaians must be converted into active participation in the effort to rejuvenate the Nkrumaist movement," Ms Nkrumah said.

"Unity between the CPP, People's National Convention and other Nkrumaist groups is not a luxury but an absolute necessity if we want to win political power in order to transform our country," she added. 3 May 11