Kofi Wayo?s Party Out

Ghana will soon witness the birth of another political party, with the decision by Charles Kofi Wayo, to form the United Republican Party (URP). Charles Wayo, popularly known as, ?Church,? told Daily Guide yesterday that, he was breaking ties with all the existing political parties, because they are corrupt.

?All parties are corrupt. They believe in corruption, and flying their relations overseas,? he said. Wayo, a defeated New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate for the Ayawaso East Constituency, in the 2000 elections, decamped to the People?s National Convention (PNC), in 2004, when he contested for the party?s flagbearership, losing to Dr Edward Nasigiri Mahama, the Chicago-trained gynaecologist.


After the 2004 elections, he quit PNC, accusing the leadership of embezzlement of the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) fund for political parties. He served notice that, he would come out with his own political party, which is now ?cooking.? Kofi Wayo has succeeded in getting some disgruntled members of the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP) of the veteran politician, Dan Lartey of domestication fame to join him.


Wayo?s party brings to two the number of parties in their embryonic stage, following the heels of Dr Obed Asamoah-led Democratic Freedom Party (DFP). He said URP which is seeking registration with the Electoral Commission (EC), would contest for the 2008 elections, as a last effort to salvage Ghanaians.


Wayo?s party has orange and white colours with five fingers embossed on a rising sun, with the Ghana flag in the background. It has, ?Putting Ghana Right,? as its slogan.


He said, Ghanaians needed to be liberated from economic crunch, and said he would make the provision of food, shelter, education, health and security his priority. Government, he said, was all about delivering services to the people and that, Ghana needs somebody like him, who understands the economy.

Even though Wayo commended President Kufuor for his respect of human rights, he said, the people deserve more than that. But before even the party was registered, there appears to be imminent disagreement over who should be the URP?s presidential candidate.


Wayo and the party?s interim general secretary, Alhassan Saeed, yesterday, took a different position on the selection of a flagbearer. While Kofi Wayo, the leader and founder of the party said, he would be the candidate, Saeed said, congress would decide. He said the decision to form the party was taken in June last year, when the group first met. Mr Saeed, former National Educational Secretary of Dan Lartey?s GCPP, said there should be a break from NPP, NDC politics.


?We think that the two leading parties, NPP and NDC had disappointed us. There should be a break from the past,? he said. Ghana, Alhassan explained, needs what he described as an ?advanced Nkrumah?, who is Kofi Wayo.


The URP?s interim General Secretary said the party?s registration was being delayed by the compilation of its constitution. Some of the names linked to the party are Gilbert Banor, former national chairman of GCPP, Alhaji Alhasssan Sanni, from the Northern Region, Richard Hlodze, Volta Region, and Mahama Ishaku, Upper West Region.