Eagle to Pick Muslim As Flagbearer

THE CHAIRMAN of the Council of Elders of the Eagle Party, Mr. Danny Ofori Atta, has stressed the importance of the party being developed into a formidable political force.

He added that the significant role the Eagle Party has played in the Progressive Alliance made it possible for the NDC to attain democracy and stability but now the Eagle wants to be given the opportunity to operate on its own.

Mr. Ofori Atta said these in an interview with this reporter on the reasons for the Eagle disassociating itself from the Progressive Alliance.

On whom the party is choosing for their presidential candidate, he said they have in mind to choose a Muslim because they believe that Ghana should take the lead in establishing unity and peace between Muslims and Christians.

He explained that Ghana is a predominantly Christian community but with a large Muslim community too. He believes that with a Muslim presidential candidate, which has never happened in the country, they stand the chance of engendering a very peaceful co-existence in society and a typical example to the whole world to emulate.

He disclosed that in June this year, they would go to congress. They would start with the constituency elections and the regional elections. On if they would contest all the 200 constituencies, Danny Ofori-Atta said no, but they would ascertain their strength and come up with a credible person who can lead them but certainly a Muslim.

Asked whether the Eagle would align itself with any other political party, the chairman answered that if it has to, then the party will possibly, go with the CPP.

Mr. Danny Ofori-Atta said the Eagle being the "mother" of the Progressive Alliance is on a "flight path", and has left its children to practice how to fly so that they can also fly later on.

In another development, the Convention People's Party (CPP) in Ashanti is making frantic efforts at reorganisation to enable the party assert itself and wrest power at Election 2004 and has therefore called for effective leadership to work towards this goal.

The regional chairman of the party, Mr. Osei Tutu Bonsu, who declared the party's position at a meeting with journalists called on Nkrumahists to unite and undertake a comprehensive re-examination of the social purpose of the vision of the founder of the party.

The occasion was the observation of the 53rd anniversary of the declaration of Positive Action against imperialism, colonialism and their agents by the first president of Ghana, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah of blessed memory.

Bonsu said all Nkrumahists, namely the CPP, PNC and the NRP who claim irrevocable commitment to socialism and the ideology of Nkrumahism are duty bound to ensure the vision and social purpose of the leader is manifested, come 2004.

The chairman asserted that the CPP is not dead as perceived by many and disagreed with the public perception that NPP and NDC were the only political parties that matter in Ghana saying, "it is unacceptable". He attributed this unfortunate perception to the inactivity of the top hierarchy of the party.

According to Chairman Bonsu, the party's Central Committee, which seeks to initiate policies for approval of the National Executive Council and educate the membership on party policies, has veered away from its key functions, while the leadership has no focus - rendering Nkrumah's democratic centralism which places the party on top of all individual interests meaningless.

"Leadership has radiated no vision, no push and no dynamism to advance the course of CPP" Bonsu apportioned blame and called for an effective leadership by positioning itself to be the medium for harnessing ideas and consolidating them into decisions and policies for a dynamic push on the voting public.

Bonsu said it was time regional executives and the rank and file of the party showed concern and took decision as well as brought pressure on the national leadership to make the Central Committee effective in the discharge of its candid functions and inject new blood in the party without which the fortunes of the party would be adversely affected.

Meanwhile, the Ashanti CPP has appealed to the Kufuor administration to consider the return of CPP offices confiscated to the state at its earliest convenience. It mentioned the building currently housing the Ministry of Education in Kumasi as one such confiscated offices belonging to the CPP.