General News of Tuesday, 13 September 2011

Source: XFM

Samia Is Nkrumah’s Daughter, And So What? - Prof Badu Akosa

Professor Agyeman Badu Akosa, a onetime flag bearer aspirant of the Convention People's Party (CPP) has chided “detractors” of the CPP who say the new Chairperson; Samia Nkrumah won overwhelmingly because she is the daughter of Ghana’s first president, Dr Nkrumah.

Describing Samia Nkrumah as an astute politician, Prof Badu Akosa questioned why her accusers will not want to give her “recognition for what she herself has been able to do”, asking further, “even if she won because she is Osagyefo’s daughter, so what?”

Samia Nkrumah beat incumbent chairman, Ladi Nylander who polled 353 votes, one-time chairman, Professor Edmund Delle who also polled 332 and Madam Araba Bentsi-Enchil who got only ten votes.

Prof Badu Akosa, speaking in an interview with host of The Big Bite on Xfm 95.1, Abena Asiedua Tenkorang, was however grateful to the delegates for seeing the potential in her and voting massively for her.

He said, “Samia is an astute politician; and I’m saying that people can give whatever reasons. People want to take the steam out of what has happened. Even if she won because she is Osagyefo’s daughter, and so what? People will not want to give her recognition for what she herself has been able to do. Thank God CPP delegates felt the pulse and voted overwhelmingly for her. People can say all sorts of things but she has won; she is the Chairman and leader of the CPP”.

According to him, with the new breed of leadership, the CPP will work to transform the destiny of the people, stressing that “change I’m glad has come to the CPP and change will come to Ghana to redeem the people of this country; and that is her assignment”.

He therefore called on other leading members of the CPP to shelve their individual ambitions and work together to make the CPP a formidable political party.

"...it is the party that is supreme. It is the actions and programs of the party that everybody must follow. From now onwards it is not personal and individual ambitions. It is not self-gratification; it is the Convention People’s Party. She will accept herself as the Chairman and leader of the party and will bring everybody into line. From today, ‘Moving Forward’ is going to be a disciplined well-oiled team that will work to transform the destiny of the people,” he said.