Akosa: CPP, PNC merger too late

A prominent member of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), Prof Agyeman Badu Akosa, has said Ghana’s electoral processes will not allow a merger between the CPP and the People’s National Convention (PNC) to materialise before the November elections.

CPP flagbearer hopeful, Samia Nkrumah, had said the ground was fertile for merger talks between the two Nkruamahist parties, but Professor Akosa believes the electoral processes will not make that happen this year.

According to him, having a merger will mean the two parties will have to go to Congress, and one party will have to resolve to dissolve.

He said together, the united parties will have to go to Congress again to pick a new name and a new party symbol. Are you going to do that before December, he asked? “It’s not going to happen. The electoral process itself will not allow a merger at this time,” he added.

Professor Akosa disclosed that the CPP and the PNC decided immediately after the 2012 elections that they would allow their constituency chapters to begin to meet, but that did not happen.

He blamed former PNC flagbearer Dr Alhassan Ayariga for the failed attempt to allow their constituencies to meet together.

In his words: “Thank God PNC have come to their senses and gone back to Edward Mahama. Edward Mahama, I have nothing but the greatest respect for him. He is one politician I will stand up for anytime”.

Professor Akosa disclosed to Class News Wednesday, January 6, 2016 that if he had won the CPP flagbearership position when he contested in 2007, he would have handed over to Edward Mahama because “I think he is more experienced than I am, and I would have been his running mate if that was feasible at that time”.

“There will be merit someday, but we have got to take this bold step of not waiting till an election year to begin merger talks” he added.