Some partisans of Ghana's opposition Convention People'sParty (CPP) are accusing the ruling party of a calculated plot to derail theirparty ahead of the December 7 general elections. The nationalyouth organizer of the CPP claims the party's presidential candidate iscurrently holding negotiations with the ruling New Patriotic Party to join itsranks and share in running government ministries after the election. But theruling party rejected the accusation. CPP General Secretary Ladi Nylander tellsreporter Peter Clottey that the presidential candidate is doing well ahead ofthe election.
"Thewhole story to me is rather bizarre. The point is that everybody has a copy ofthis letter where Dr. (Kwesi) Nduom (the CPP presidential candidate) issupposed to be running a one-man show. And I would really like to know from thenational youth organizer what he means by a one-man show because whenever we goto work in the various constituencies, we work with the party executives. So Iam not quite sure what the organizer means by Nduom running a one-party show,"Nylander pointed out.
Hedescribed the accusation, which suggests that the presidential candidate of theCPP 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. Nduomhas consistently said the CPP this time is going as an independent party, andnot only has he said it, but all of us have been working hard towards it. Weare making inroads. When we go to the various constituencies, we witness thatthe ground is very good and fertile. And I mean yesterday, when we went to thecentral region, we saw how good our work is yielding good dividends," he said.
Nylandersaid the opposition CPP is determined to be the alternative to both the rulingNPP and the opposition NDC.
"Weare sticking to our plan, and we are staying focused. We want to be anindependent party and be the credible alternative to what is going on. And asfar as I know Dr. Nduom has even said that he is not interested in beinganybody's minister and that he wants to be the president. So I don't know wherethis story is coming from," Nylander noted.
Hesaid the party's chances ahead of the December election is very bright despitepolls showing it is trailing the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and theopposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).
"Pollsare polls, and the real poll is going to be on December 7. We've got our ownpoll and the situation is not at all what we hear. I have seen two polls sofar, one showing the NPP way ahead, and the other showing the NDC way ahead. Soone 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 upsetand of course we will," he said.
Nylandersaid the party would only decide its next line of action after there is noclear winner during the first round of election on December 7.
"Ifthere is no clear winner, then obviously there would be a second round, and wewould deal with it when we get there. It would be a matter of who joins theCPP. Everybody is saying who would the CPP join. Well, we want to ask who wouldjoin the CPP?" Nylander asked.
KwabenaBonfreh, who is the national youth organizer of the CPP, challenged thepresidential candidate to refute recent allegations in the Ghanaian media,which suggest that CPP presidential candidate Nduom has been holding talks withthe ruling party to serve as a minister if the ruling party wins the Decemberelection.
Bomfrehsent a letter to executive members of the CPP, effectively challenging Nduom toanswer newspaper allegations that he has been negotiating for ministerialpositions with the ruling New Patriotic Party and main opposition NationalDemocratic Congress.
However,he dismissed allegations that he may have been financially influenced to createconfusion within the ranks of the CPP. He challenged anyone to come out withevidence.
Bomfreh found it weird that Nduom, for months, refused publicly to rebut thestory or at least drag the newspaper to the National Media Commission.