Ivor Greenstreet must open up to coalition idea — JOY
An independent Presidential Candidate for the 2012 polls, Mr Jacob Osei Yeboah, has asked the newly elected flag bearer of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), Mr Ivor Kobina Greenstreet, to open up to the coalition idea at the presidential level for the 2016 general election.
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In a congratulatory message, Mr Yeboah argued: “This is the hope for Ghanaians to stop the self-destruct mechanism set in motion by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP).”
Speaking to the Daily Graphic, he cited Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom, the 2012 presidential candidate of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP), as having an interest in leading his party to victory in the 2016 polls but had always made public his interest first in a coalition to prosecute the 2016 polls.
Still on coalition agenda
For several weeks now, Dr Nduom has been promoting the building of a coalition capable of winning the 2016 elections and forming an inclusive government using the best, competent men and women.
On his Facebook page, he has been asking: Who wants to join this coalition to make our country strong and its people prosperous?
He has also explained that he was not talking about helping anyone to win an election.
“I am looking for the formation of a coalition with equal partnership or a majority and minority partnership to win the election and form a government come January 2017. For the avoidance of doubt, let me also state clearly that the Progressive People's Party is not looking to merge with any political party before the November elections. We believe that the coalition agenda offers the best approach to forging a formidable partnership to win the 2016 elections and more importantly give Ghanaians a competent administration with a great attitude for solving problems,” he explained on his Facebook page.
Coalition idea
In line with this, Mr Yeboah, aka JOY, said at the coalition level all political parties and independent candidates with like minds would maintain their identity.
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“There is no need for any identity to be dissolved before the coalition idea can be put into practice,” he stated.
Expatiating further, Mr Yeboah pointed out that it would be difficult to dissolve political parties in coalition, saying “political power is at the presidential level and not at the legislative or party levels; so the parties can exist but will allow coalition to prevail.”
He said where one had a political party strong in a region or locality, then the coalition would throw their full weight behind that party to win the polls.
On the presidential slot, he explained that the coalition would meet to firmly decide on the candidate.
According to Mr Yeboah, “if this coalition idea were to come on, there wouldn’t be any chance for President Mahama and Nana Akufo-Addo to win the 2016 election.”
Favour on Ivor
He said there was a lot of favour on Ivor Greenstreet because he came across as someone who could be trusted, a unifier and bold and much would be expected of him to support the coalition movement.
“It’s all about issues of Ghana and its well-being and the formation of a coalition for a more prosperous country for all,” he stated.
In the view of Mr Yeboah, the atmosphere was depressive, people had lost hope and many Ghanaians were undecided.
“It is for this reason that people who think enough is enough must support the independent platform to kick out the duo-politics of the NDC and NPP,” he said.