CPP executives identify serious fragmentation as the bane of the Party

Saltpond, July 21, GNA - Both national and regional executives and members of the Convention Peoples' Party (CPP), seeking the nod as executives of the Party, on Wednesday decried the serious fragmentation in the Party saying it had been its bane.

Speaker after speaker expressed worry about the 93factionalism" in the Party, stressing it was to blame for its abysmal performance in the 2008 elections and that if that issue was not addressed it could cost them in the next elections in 2012 .

They have therefore called on all executives, supporters and sympathizers, to seek a united front for the common interest of the Party, to propel it into power in the next elections, because Ghanaians were fed up with the two main political parties, the NDC and the NPP.

The speakers made the call on Wednesday, at the CPP's Central Region= al Delegates Conference in Saltpond, to elect Regional Executives of the Party during which members seeking National positions took the opportunity to campaign for their bids. Among those seeking the National Executive positions were the incumbent chairman, Mr Nadi Nylander who is vying with Ms Samia Nkrumah, Professor Edmund Delle and Madam Araba Bentsi-Enchill.

The others are Hajia Hamdatu Ibrahim-Haruna, incumbent Women's Organizer, who is contesting with Mary Ankomah Boakye-Boateng and Aisha Sulley Futa.

Other contestants present seeking the bid for the General Secretary, Treasurer, Youth Organizer and National Organizer, all took turns to address the delegates.

At the regional level, with the exception of the position for Women's Organizer and Regional Secretary, all the other positions were declared unopposed by popular acclamation.

Those declared by popular acclamation were Mr Kwame Adu Ansah, Chairman, Mr Godfred Yarkwa, First Vice-Chairman and Mr Isaac Johnson, Second Vice-Chairman, Mr Ato Wilson, Assistant Secretary, Mr Joseph Koomson, Treasurer, and Mr Steven Quayson, Regional Organizer.

The rest are, Mr Rexford Mensah, Assistant Organizer, Miss Francesca Anderson, Assistant Women's Organizer, Mr Kojo Aduamoah, Youth Organizer, Nana Amissah, Assistant Youth Organizer, and Mr Kwaku Osei Tandoh, Education Secretary.

A total number of 177 delegates from 19 constituencies voted for Miss Rosemary Agyapong as the Regional Women's Organizer.

She bagged 111 votes as against 64, by Madam Grace Quartey, her contender, with two ballots rejected. Mr Kofi Agonu Lovu the incumbent Regional Secretary lost to Mr Isaac

Sagoe, an educationist with only 51 votes as against 124 with two rejected ballots, at the polls supervised by the Deputy Regional Electoral Officer, Mr John Quaicoe.

Earlier, Ms Samia Nkrumah stole the heart of the delegates when she took her turn to address them, taking the Master of Ceremony, Mr Stephen Quayson, the Regional Organizer, a hectic time to control the crowd as they sang and hailed, telling her not to worry because they will vote for her at all cost.

In her address she called on delegates to think right and vote wisely in order to honour the memory of Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, her father to make him proud, adding that she stands for all in the party.

She recounted her experience, particularly at the constituency level and called for a change within the Party to help revive the Nkrumaists ideals that among others were selflessness and dedication to the people they serve.

Prof Delle also admitted that there was crisis in the Party and pledged to work harder for the Party to win more parliamentary seats when given the nod.

Madam Bentsi-Enchill and Mr Nadai Nylander said the Party needs fair and firm leaders to propel its agenda forward, adding that, recent opinion polls indicated that the CPP was doing better as it had shifted from the one percent in the previous general elections to 16 per cent in the last one.