CPP prepares for congress
The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Convention People’s Party (CPP) will meet in October, to agree on a road map towards holding a national delegates congress to elect new officers to steer the affairs of the party for the 2016 elections.
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This meeting will also involve elections of polling station, electoral area, constituency and regional branches before the intended national delegates congress by 2014.
Mr Kobina Ivor Greenstreet, the General Secretary of the party, disclosed this to the Daily Graphic in an interview yesterday.
He said at a Central Committee meeting on September 5, 2013, the party set in motion activities towards holding a NEC meeting that would agree on the timetable towards the congress.
According to Mr Greenstreet, current officers at national, regional and constituency levels who had occupied their positions for two terms, which included himself, would, in accordance with the constitutional changes not be allowed to contest the same positions.
He stated that significant changes were made to the party’s constitution at their national delegates congress held in May, 2012 at Essipong, Sekondi in the Western Region.
Among these, Mr Greenstreet stated, were provisions requiring a NEC meeting every year and the holding of a national delegates congress, latest December 2014.
According to Mr Greenstreet, the national delegates congress, in accordance with Article 78 of the new constitution, shall elect the national chairperson, national vice-chairpersons, the general secretary, the national treasurer, the national organiser, as well as national youth and women organisers.
Mr Greenstreet stated that in accordance with Article 79, there would be another separate national delegates congress to elect a presidential Candidate of the party.
He said this provision allowed this congress to take place two years before the 2016 elections.
He indicated that it was in the party's interest and "...absolutely critical..." to have a presidential candidate in place as early as possible to allow sufficient time for proper campaign.
In this regard, he said all necessary steps were being taken to achieve these deadlines.
He recalled that the CPP elected Dr Micheal Abu Sakara Foster for the 2012 elections in May 2012, giving only six months for campaign, especially after the fractious departure of Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, who received more votes in that election.
Since 2000, Mr Greenstreet said that the CPPs electoral fortunes had waned at both the presidential and parliamentary level, culminating in the 2012 results where the party had no MP in Parliament after their sole representative, Samia Nkrumah, lost the Jomoro seat.
The Kumbungu bye-election according to Mr Greenstreet, enabled the CPP to obtain one seat in Parliament, with the elected MP opting to sit with the NDC majority side in Parliament.