Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, 2008 Flagbearer of Convention People’s Party (CPP), is to assume a back seat posture to avoid the seeming friction between him and other leading members who have accused him of hijacking and overshadowing the party’s leadership.
The Youth for Nduom 2012, a pro-Nduom youth group within the CPP, said Dr Nduom would also stop “all campaign and regular activities” with the regional and constituency executives to ensure a level playing field for all other presidential aspirants until the official opening of nominations.
Addressing the media in Accra on Tuesday, Spokesperson for the group, Richard Nii Armah said the decision by Dr Nduom would leave the “field wide open for Mr Aggudey, Prof. Akosah, Mr Akwetey or anyone else to go and campaign for the support and attention of delegates who will select the presidential candidate”.
He said Dr Nduom had decided to speak from his personal perspective and would only render his personal opinion as a concerned Ghanaian and not as a spokesperson for the CPP since he had been reminded by the party’s General Secretary, Ivor Greenstreet that the Party had a substantive communications director.
Nii Armah urged the media to immediately refrain from referring to Dr Nduom as a CPP presidential aspirant, since his declaration of intent to contest the party’s primaries had created an uproar which had led to other persons with similar ambitions vilifying him for fear of losing at the primaries.
He said judging from the results of Election 2008, it was clear there was a lot to be done outside thePparty whilst urgent steps were taken to retain those who voted for the CPP.
Thus, Dr Nduom, whilst taking a backstage, would focus his attention on organising potential campaign supporters and volunteers outside the CPP who could help attract floating voters, independents and the youth.
The group said Dr Nduom had asked them to advise his supporters inside and outside the CPP to show respect to the leadership of the party and “exhibit tolerance in responding to issues raised by his political opponents within the CPP, NPP,PNC and NDC”.
“Our fight from here on is to win the hearts, minds and votes of majority of Ghanaian voters. That must be done with positive message and with discipline”.
Nii Armah noted that Dr Nduom had paid his dues to the Party and made his mark as far as the CPP tradition was concerned, saying, “He has not been a fair weather friend to the party and is not a latter day convert. He has been a strong, reliable shareholder”.
“But we will not sit back and let anyone cast doubt about Dr Nduom’s integrity. We are ready to tell Dr Nduom to move to greater heights. We are not prepared to forget 2012 and wait for 2016.
“If some CPP leaders want to commit political suicide, we will not be part of it. After all, when the UGCC leaders sought to demean the contribution of Kwame Nkrumah and cast him aside, he did the right thing. He left the UGCC. The CPP was formed and Ghana gained its independence.”
History has a way of repeating itself. History is on the side of of Dr Nduom. More important, the future in this 21st Century is there, wide open for those willing to compete, sacrifice and respect the views of the majority of the people,” Nii Armah said.
“We remain convinced that Ghana needs Dr Nduom. Inspite of all the odds, he does not have an alternative other than to run for president for the republic of Ghana in 2012.”
Dr Nduom was last week verbally washed by the leadership of the party, who do not favour him to lead the party in Election 2012, describing some of his recent actions as contravening the dictates of the party’s constitution.
