PRESS RELEASE:

We are saddened by the unprovoked attack by Mr. Ivor Greenstreet on Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom

We are saddened by the unprovoked attack by mr. Ivor Greenstreet, the CPP's General Secretary on Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom one of Ghana's leading international and professional management consultants and a successful entrepreneur. Dr. Nduom recently declared his intent in a nationally broadcast to contest to become the Presidential Candidate of the CPP in the 2012 elections.

We do not understand why the General Secretary of the CPP is bringing the party into disrepute, intentionally provoking a "crisis" and in effect setting himself up as an "Agent Provocateur" by taking an internal matter under discussion to the public through the media. We wish to remind Mr. Greenstreet that Dr. Nduom has said on several occasions that whether a presidential contest in the CPP is held today, next month, or in November 2012, he is confident of victory if he is in the race. But that is not the point under contention.

What is being debated internally in the party which the General Secretary has put into the public domain is the need to start the internal competition to select parliamentary and presidential candidates for the 2012 national elections in 2011 and not 2012 as advocated by Mr. Greenstreet. Those who disagree with Mr. Greenstreet have been alarmed by the fact that leadership and Central Committee meetings has not been held as of today make decisions on the matter. As far as we know, there has not been consensus on the matter of selecting presidential and parliamentary candidates for 2012 among the elected leadership. So who does Mr. Greenstreet speak for?

We do not want to believe that this is all part of an orchestrated effort to derail the CPP's 2012 campaign just as was done in 2008 in favor of some so-called "Agenda 2016".

The facts as we know it are as follows:

1. The Central Committee of the party set 30 July 2011 for National Executive Congress and 30 September 2011 for the Presidential Candidate Congress. There was to be a two month interval between the two.

2. The old constitution of the party stipulated that the party 's presidential candidate be selected one year before the national election. Many in the party agreed that this did not provide enough time to resolve internal conflicts arising from the congress and did not also allow enough time for campaigning. That is why the "early congress" was started championed by our current National Chairperson and other leading members.

3. The current constitution approved at the September congress addresses the matter as follows:

" Article 78 (1) There shall be a national delegates conference to elect the presidential candidate of the party.

(3) The National Delegates Conference shall be held at least twenty four (24) months before the next presidential and parliamentary elections. "

Considering the anxiety on the part of CPP's members, the right thing to do would have been for the new national executives to honor the two month interval approved by the Central Committee and allow parliamentary and presidential candidate selection in November or December this year.

It is General Secretary Greenstreet who sparked the confusion in the party a couple of weeks ago by declaring unilaterally that nominations for candidates to the 2012 elections will be opened " next year". He should not attempt to shift the wrath he and the leadership of the party have incurred from the CPP executives to Dr. Nduom who has rather been busy helping build structures and organizing the party at the polling station level.

Finally, it is important to inform the public that the CPP's National Executive Council (NEC) is an important body that is above the leadership and the Central Committee. That body is made up of regional executives, national executives, founding members and elders of the party. One third of NEC members can call for a meeting. So if that has taken place, it should show Mr. Greenstreet and others the seriousness of the situation we are in.

Mr. Greenstreet must stop sowing confusion within the rank and file of the CPP and abide strictly by the party's constitution which he has sworn at Congress to uphold and protect.

Office of Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom Kofi Asamoah - Siaw 0208274852 28th November, 2011