CPP August 15 congress: 19 File to contest flagbearer, national positions

Nineteen stalwarts of the Convention People’s Party (CPP) have filed their nominations to contest various positions when the party goes to congress on August 15, 2020, to elect national officers and its flag bearer for the 2020 presidential election.

Out of the number, three filed to contest the flagbearer position, four for the National Chairman position, three for the three Vice Chairperson positions, three for the position of General Secretary, two for the National Organiser, and two each for the positions of Women Organiser and Youth Organiser.

The congress shall elect the national chairperson, national vice chairpersons, the general secretary, the national treasurer, the national organiser, the national women’s organiser and the national youth organiser. At the close of the nomination, no one had filed for the position of national treasurer.

The CPP fixed July 31, 2020, as the deadline for the receipt of applications for the various positions but because it was a holiday, it was extended to August 3, 2020.

Candidates

For the flagbearer position, a former General Secretary and the 2016 presidential candidate of the CPP, Mr Ivor Kobina Greenstreet, will be seeking to represent the party again in the 2020 elections but would have to contend with Accra-based legal practitioner, Mr Bright Oblitei Akwetey and a pastor, Rev. Dr Divine Ayivor.

The acting Chairperson of the CPP, Hajia Hamdatu Ibrahim, is seeking to be confirmed as the substantive chairperson but is facing a fierce challenge from three others, namely Nana Akosua Frimpomaa-Sarpong, Nana Oduro Kwarteng and Mr Kweku Quansah.

It appears the three aspirants for the position of vice chairperson may slip through as there are no contenders. The three are Mr Emmanuel Ogbordzor, Mr Edwin Ayorkor Olandzor and Mr Onzy Nkrumah, son of Ghana’s first President.

Other positions

In the other positions, acting General Secretary, Mr James Kwabena Bomfeh Jnr, will battle it out with a former Director of Public Affairs and External Affairs of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC), Nana Yaa Akyempim Jantuah, and a Marketing Communication Consultant, Mr Joseph Kwadwo Afari-Yeboah.

Two individuals, Mr Moses Yirimanbo and Mr Rashid Allao, are vying for the position of National Organiser while incumbent Women Organiser, Hajia Aisha Sulley Futa, is being challenged by Madam Rose Endah with Messrs Solomon Amponsah and Osei Kofi Acquah vying for the Youth Organiser position.

Format of congress

Per the schedule of activities of the party, the national congress will be held on regional basis as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, with each region setting up election centres.

Nine delegates from each of the constituencies will be expected to cast their votes between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. on August 15, 2020, under the supervision of officials of the Electoral Commission (EC).

In previous congresses of the CPP, all the delegates congregated at a national centre where the election took place.

Per the new arrangement due to COVID-19, all the delegates will be expected to cast their votes at the designated regional centres and return to their constituencies immediately after casting their votes.

Officials of the EC, who will supervise the election, will collate and declare the final results and communicate the results through the party communication channels.

Background

The CPP was originally scheduled to hold its national delegates’ congress from March 27 to March 28 in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region.

The party opened nominations from February 6, 2020, to February 28, 2020.

However, on February 27, 2020, the eve of the last day for the filing of nominations, the party was served with a suit, compelling the leadership to postpone the filing of the nominations and date of the congress.

The suit centred on an alleged bank account opened by some national executive members on behalf of the party and the manner in which regional elections were held in the Central, Oti, Volta and Western regions.

On July 2, 2020, the High Court accepted the terms of a consent judgment, including the setting up of a five-member IOC to superintend the holding of the national congress.

IOC

The Council of Elders of the CPP, on July 3, 2020, inaugurated a five-member IOC under the chairmanship of Mr R.O. Frimpong-Manso to oversee the activities of the party towards the national delegates’ congress.

The council appointed Dr Adolf Lutterodt and Prof. Nii Noi Dowuona as the chairmen for the Extended Congress Planning Committee and Vetting Committee respectively.

This was in line with the terms of the consent judgment adopted and granted by Mrs Justice Mariama Sammo of the Accra Commercial High Court.

Forward march

In an interview with the Daily Graphic, Mr Frimpong-Manso urged all the aspirants to put the interest of the CPP ahead of theirs.

He, therefore, urged the aspirants to conduct their campaign with civility and decorum.

He said time was not on the side of the CPP, hence the need for all party faithful to be united in restoring the integrity and reputation of the CPP, stressing that “anyone with the spirit of Nkrumah must stand united with us.”

He, therefore, called on all members of the party to put their differences behind them and come together for the good of the CPP.