Progressives call on Samia Nkrumah's CPP to form coalition

Progressives call on Samia Yaba Nkrumah's CPP to form coalition with all Nkrumaists parties – NDC, PNC and GCPP.

Prominent Progressive Nkrumaists urge the new leader of CPP, Samia Yaba Christina Nkrumah, daughter of the late president, to form a coalition with the Nkrumaist parties (NDC, PNC and GCPP) as a matter of urgency.

They are calling on Samia to put partisan concerns aside and form a coalition to serve the best interest of Ghanaians, whose livelihoods would be in jeopardy should NPP win the presidency in 2012.

They argue that at this critical time in the nation's history, a coalition of Nkrumaists would be capable of delivering the stewardship the country needs – access to quality education for all, access to decent health care, affordable housing, good physical and social infrastructure and job creation, which only the Nkrumaists can guaranteed for the Ghanaian people.

One of the young Nkrumaist ministers in the Mills government said, “with the election of Samia Nkrumah as the leader of CPP, I hope all the Nkrumaists parties (including National Democratic Convention) will work cooperatively to deliver a plan (based on the 7 Year Development Plan) to develop our country as well as to correct the devastation wrought upon Ghanaian people by NPP during their eight years of corrupt government”.

Samia's election as the leader of CPP has open up a whole new chapter in Ghanaian politics. Ghana now stand alone as the only country in the West Africa sub-region with the potential of achieving middle income status before the end of this decade, however time is the essence.

By forming a coalition, the Nkrumaists have an unprecedented opportunity to deliver to the Ghanaian people a coalition that is capable of putting aside partisan dogma and to work cooperatively and swiftly in the interest of the country – that is, country before self.

The young Nkrumaist NDC minister who spoke to this writer said, “already we have some of our colleagues from CPP serving in the Mills government, and thus already have a loose coalition”. He said, “the concept may have been unthinkable about a week ago, but with Samia taking over the leadership of our great party (with emphasis on “our great party”) we can see history in the making, as they say a week in politics is a long time”.

During the eight years of Kuffuor administration many Nkrumaists were shocked and horrified at the NPP attempt to bankrupt all the Nkrumaists parties, including NDC, so that they could rule without opposition. What changed the electoral arithmetic was the “Ghana at 50” celebrations when Kwame Nkrumah's name dominated and the goodwill Ghanaians show on Nkrumah and CPP was phenomenal. One individual who benefited from the anniversary is then candidate John Mills.

Then “candidate Mills” turned NPP attack on the basic principles of democracy into his advantage in the second round of the presidential elections when he played the “Nkrumaist card” to win the presidency. Mills employed CPP campaign strategy of “house to house” campaigning to great effect, thus naturalising NPP large hand outs of cash to buy votes. During his house to house campaign, Mills reminded Ghanaian people of his Nkrumaist roots and his concern for the common man “Veranda Boys and Girls” and as the current custodian of Dr Nkrumah's legacy.

While in the past, this writer and most of Nkrumaists in other parties, not been trusting of NDC, do agree with the progressives that now is the time to push for the final settlement. This writer believe it is perhaps the right time to start discussing uniting the Nkrumaists parties under one banner for the 2016 elections.

Like most Nkrumaists, this writer is now convinced that NPP, if elected, might undermined Nkrumaists and democracy so badly, with their cohorts in the media and judiciary, that Ghana would no longer be a free country with genuine choice during elections. We do not need Ghana to be like Nigeria, where only one political party is financially viable enough to launch a country-wide elections.

The call by NDC Nkrumaists for a coalition, merger or whatever one may name it, especially coming soon after CPP congress to elect its leadership, is very significant and newsworthy. However many others in the Nkrumaist group think a formal electoral coalition with NDC is a very bad idea and would rather prefer a legislative coalition after an election. However, facing an opponent, whose only eight years in government did more damage to the very fabric of our country, this writer sincerely believe that the four parties (NDC, CPP, PNC and GCPP) can find common ground on the major issues that divide them.

As past congresses attest to, spending all that money is not what voters needed at this time. Thanks to the media and the information age people are looking at parties that will address bread and butter issues. Big media and big money no longer decide who voters will put in office, thus the progressives are doing a brilliant job for rallying around this idea of a coalition. It will give Samia and the Progressive Nkrumaists reason to push forward for final settlement knowing that there are large elements of Ghanaians (majority do not know Nkrumah, including this writer, but are aware that he laid a solid foundation for future growth of Ghana, our motherland) coming in to support the idea. Progressive Nkrumaists are calling on all party leadership (NDC, CPP, PNC and GCPP) to put aside their ideology and partisan agenda and act on behalf of all Ghanaians who want and need an urgent measures to create jobs. In the coming months the Progressive Nkrumaists will organize calls for public demonstrations of support for coalition or final settlement of Nkrumaists under one banner. One leading CPP Youth leader this writer spoke said, “this is really exciting, creative and appropriate opportunity for Ghana and Nkrumaists”.

The Nkrumaist progressives believe the more compelling reason for the coalition is the preservation of our democracy and the legacy of Dr Kwame Nkrumah. Ghana before self.

God bless our Homeland Ghana.

Peter N. Jeffrey