Today in 2008: I am Ghana's Barack Obama – Nduom

The then flagbearer of the Convention Peoples Party, Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom, in the run towards the 2008 presidential elections likened himself to Barack Obama who was also seeking to be elected as America's president.

According to him, his tag as ‘Edwumawura’ was to create more jobs for Ghanaians as it is his party’s tradition of “bringing jobs to Ghanaians by giving soft loans to the private sector, using tax goods and services produced in Ghana have a market in Ghana".

He explained that “the NPP is more like the Republicans, the CPP is more like the Democrats. Therefore, Mr. Akuffo-Addo is talking like Mr. McCain while I, Papa Kwesi Nduom, am talking like Barack Obama".

Read the full story originally published on August 20, 2008 on GhanaWeb

Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom, flag-bearer of the Convention Peoples Party says he Ghana’s Barack Obama.

He expressed that sentiment when he addressed the media in Accra on Monday.

He said "Let everyone understand that in politics, we have the Conservatives and the Progressives. In the United Kingdom, we have the Conservative Party and the New Labour of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. In the United States of America, there is the Republican Party and the Democratic Party of Bill Clinton and Barack Obama".

The CPP Flag-bearer said the Conservatives like to protect individual and private interests while the Progressives like to protect the interest and the welfare of the people.

"If the NPP is more like the Republicans, the CPP is more like the Democrats. Therefore, Mr. Akuffo-Addo is talking like Mr. McCain while I, Papa Kwesi Nduom, am talking like Barack Obama," he said.

He said when the CPP campaign talks about "Edwumawura," the party simply means the CPP's tradition of job creation -bringing jobs to Ghanaians by giving soft loans to the private sector, using tax goods and services produced in Ghana have a market in Ghana".

Dr. Nduom maintained that the CPP believes in self-determination and will therefore "use government's purchasing power to ensure that we eat what we grow and use what we produce here in Ghana".

"It is for this reason that I will challenge Apostle Safo, the Suame Industrial Centre ,and others to produce the official vehicle to be used by me as agenda to bridge the development gap between the North and the South," he added.

He stressed that the North-South gap is widening and the children of the North keep pouring into the cities down south for non¬existent opportunities and into a life of exploitation as Kayayei.

The CPP, he added, has a very good message for the people of Ghana that is why all over the country, the people listen to the message of "Edumawursa" and respond with "Yeresesamu."

He reminded the youth, particularly, that everything possible is being done to build a new CPP to become a strong, independent political party that is an alternative to other political parties in the country.

He, therefore, called on all who want an alternative to the NDC and the NPP to support the CPP financially, with their time and organise the people to support any party other than the Nkrumaist Convention People's Party.

Sounding Biblical, Dr. Ndoum reiterated that "for everything, there is a season; and a time for every purpose under Heaven. A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to pluck up that which is planted; a time to love and a time to hate; a time for war and a time for peace."

This, according to him, is the season for the re-birth of the CPP.

"This is the time for the CPP to come to power once again, and this is the time for the "Yeresesamu," Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom".

As to whether, CPP can win in 2008 elections, he said over the past six weeks, there have been a number of polls organised by newspapers, radio stations and institutes that are politically-biased. He said whilst win the December 7, 2008 elections with more than 50% of the NDC of the vote, other tip the NDC.

Giving 10 "good reasons" why the CPP will be a winning party this year, Dr. Nduom cited Prestea-Huni Valley constituency, Westem Region, where he said Lawyer T. Dari has organised to win the Parliamentary seat for the CPP; Akropong constituency, Eastem Region ,where a young man, Mr.Augustus Akonnor has done a fantastic job to energize the CPP there; Upper Denkyira East, Central region, where a businessman, Yaw Asamoah, has made the CPP a popular party and Pusiga, Upper East region, where a another young man called Daniel Abugbila, is working wonders and winning votes.

He added Akrofuom, Ashanti Region, where anther young named Anthony Kwakye and Tema East ,Greater Accra, where a hard working Richter Amarteifio will retum the CPP to glory.

"All in all, he said, 100 of them so far, we are confident we have a chance to get the CPP elected to go to Parliament," he said.