General News of Saturday, 6 February 2016

Source: classfmonline.com

CPP Vice Chair: 'Samia divisive'

Ivor Greenstreet (left) and Samia Ivor Greenstreet (left) and Samia

The Convention People’s Party (CPP) settled on Mr Ivor Greenstreet as the flagbearer because he is the best candidate and not as divisive as Ms Samia Nkrumah, the Second Vice Chairperson of the party, Susan Adu-Amankwah, has revealed.

“We chose this flagbearer because, as a party, we need to unify. Greenstreet has been very neutral, I know people will disagree with me but Samia has been divisive and we’ve had enough of that,” Mrs Adu-Amankwah noted on Saturday 6 February 2016.

She told Umaru Samda Amadu on Citi FM’s news analysis programme ‘The Big Issue’ on Saturday February 6 that the CPP delegates had to make a hard choice, but “the fact that we didn’t vote for Samia doesn’t mean that we don’t like her as a person, but we have to present the best capable person”.

Mr Greenstreet was elected flagbearer of the Nkrumahist party on Saturday January 30, after polling 1,288 votes, representing 64.2%, ahead of Samia’s total of 579, representing about 28.9%.

According to Mrs Adu-Amankwah, “Greenstreet has clarity of thought, he knows the political terrain, he is a grassroots person and has been able to win two elections as General Secretary.”

She was certain Mr Greenstreet was best-placed to compete and outclass flagbearers of the other political parties in the November presidential and parliamentary polls.

Her comments strike a chord with those of Dr Sekou Nkrumah, brother to Ms Samia Yaba Nkrumah, who maintains that the CPP has been turbulent under Ms Nkrumah’s tenure as chairperson, when key members of the CPP exited.

“My problem is with Samia: I don’t know what her politics is about, but she seems to be self-seeking.”

“Things were not going well under her leadership. Not too long ago, Abu Sakara, who was a presidential candidate in 2012, resigned from the party. Same thing happened to Nduom and I know it has been challenging,” Dr Sekou Nkrumah told Kojo Asare-Baffour Acheampong (KABA) on Asempa FM’s ‘Ekosii Sen’ political talk programme on 1 February, 2016.