The Return of Prof Delle, Good News to CPP

As an Nkrumahist, the run-up to this year’s delegates’ congress has been a disappointment to me, foremost because of the party’s failure to be consistent with a congress date--epitomising what the CPP has been over the last four years. The positive take home however is the return of Professor Dr. Delle as a chairmanship contender who amongst the rest has the potential to unite the CPP to become a more credible party than it has been after he left that office. In fact, the failure of the CPP’s leadership in 2008 did cost us embarrassment and consigned us to another term in opposition, reducing our seats in parliament and in essence our political relevance. The most important issue confronting the CPP today is the lack of unity, and we need lots of it to make any impact in the coming elections. Presently, there is the Nduom/Nylander camp and the Samia/Akosa camp. By their actions in the run-up, a win for either of them means the division and acrimony existing and retarding the CPP will only widen.

Over the last few months we have witnessed a party struggling to articulate a comprehensive vision, message and alternatives to NDC and NPP policies; a party lacking popular appeal, excitement and momentum; a party struggling to shed of its bickering image; a clear lack of unity of purpose, leadership squabbles, greed, under-funding and a hitherto great CPP lacking strategic directions. The result: the CPP is now the fourth force in Ghanaian politics. A recent caller to an Accra radio station called the CPP the “Confused Peoples Party”- because of the numerous confusions in our party. Another called us “disunited” because of our broodingly confrontational attitude. But I see this image, though somewhat reflective of the present state of our party can only be redeemed by unity of purpose under a competent chairman, a role I strongly believe Prof Delle can perform once again with diligence.

Nylander as a current chairman reflects the current state of affairs in the CPP. Having reduced our seats in parliament and number of popular votes, he should ideally have just backed out but in an obnoxious reality he wants to take us further down into political oblivion. He has had four years of leadership and the bickering and disunity in the CPP only exacerbated to the party’s detriment. He has lacked the power to neither convene nor discipline CPP members. Samia Nkrumah was the CPP’s saviour in the last election and gave us a face-saving seat in parliament. She is a novice and still learning and a chairmanship position will be suicidal for the CPP. First, she lacks the experience and convening power that a chairman will need. Second and more importantly, she cannot unite the CPP given her present acrimonious relationship with the Nduom camp. Samia cannot relate to majority of voters in Ghana given her long absence from Ghana and she can’t even communicate with the grassroots. For now, she should concentrate of consolidating the seat for the CPP and keep learning. Prof. Delle in all these has been his own man. He has stayed out of the acrimonious bickering between the Nduom/Nylander group and the Samia/Akosa group. He has been his own man and his past record as a CPP chairman should well ensure victory for him. He has the ability to convene all CPP members, has fundraising appeal, a good organizer and can mobilize members to stay in-line. He has the power to deliver the all-important unity needed to be relevant in Ghana once again. The CPP appears to have lost its bearings in the run-up to the 2012 polls and there is now a great level of uncertainty surrounding us. After four consecutive defeats, we know the way forward is leadership change, but when it came to why and how we have always missed the opportunity.

The elections are now just a few days away and the CPP needs a change in leadership that can mobilize the party with a unity of purpose. We need a comprehensive rebranding to change hearts, minds, thinking and attitudes of Ghanaians towards the CPP. This congress therefore presents an opportunity for the CPP to elect a chairman who can lead us to the glory we once had. Let us for once think about the future of the party by electing a unifier. Forward Ever, Backwards Never.

Good luck!

SOURCE: Francis Nyamekye