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CPP Parliamentary slots attracting
more candidates than ever - Ndoum
Accra, Feb. 21, Ghanadot/GNA – Dr Kwesi Ndoum, flag bearer
of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), on Thursday told
journalists that there is a rush across the county to be the
party’s parliamentary candidate.
“Unlike in the past when people turned down offers to stand
on the party’s ticket to contest for Parliament, this time
round, there is vigorous lobbying by well-meaning people
across the country for the party’s Parliamentary slots,” he
said.
Dr Ndoum said the new development was refreshing in that it
softened the ground for him to do a better campaign for
victory in the 2008 elections.
He said several high profile and well resourced individuals,
including some investors, had expressed interest in
contesting Parliamentary seats on the ticket of the party.
“This is a clear sign that people see in the CPP the
readiness to lead the kind of change they expect. The people
are calling for the kind of change they will feel in their
pockets and they see us as the best alternative to the
ruling party.”
He said just as in 2000 when the people saw the preparedness
in the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to lead the kind of change
they wanted, the people now saw the CPP as the only party
ready to lead the needed change in 2008.
Dr Ndoum said he observed from his campaign trips round the
country that the sudden huge interest in the party was a
result of the new faces in the leadership of the party,
particularly he himself being the flag bearer.
“People are encouraged by the new and youthful leadership we
now have in the party and I can tell you for a fact that
that is real because we usually take very few people on our
campaign trips and yet we get very positive response in
terms of massive turnout at our meetings,” he said.
Dr Ndoum reiterated his promise to the party to replace the
“Mmobrowa Campaign” with vigorous political campaign on all
fronts, saying whereas he was not expecting big money from a
particular source for his campaign, he would use the “poor
man’s fundraising” style, like Barrack Obama did in the USA,
to raise enough money for his campaign.
“So far, the poor man’s fundraising style is working for me
because people are committed to my cause and they have been
donating their bit faithfully and consistently,” he said.
Dr Ndoum said money was necessary to run a good campaign but
the most important thing was the message, saying “like
Obama, my message of real change for the better has so far
gone down well with the electorate”.
On the issue of choosing a woman as a running mate, Dr Ndoum
said even though he had spoken with a few people, including
some women he trusted had the ability and capacity to run
with him, he had not taken a decision as yet.
Touching on the visit of President George Bush to Ghana and
its possible impact on election 2008, he said when President
Bill Clinton visited Ghana during the era of the National
Democratic Congress (NDC) it did not make the NDC’s fortunes
better as they lost the subsequent elections to the NPP.
“In the same manner the visit of President Bush will not
stop the CPP from winning power from the NPP in this year’s
elections,” he said.
He said President Bush visited Ghana not necessarily because
of the performance of the ruling government but because of
the commitment of Ghanaians in general to democracy, adding
that it took the masses to make a good government and not
the other way round.
GNA
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