...from Ghanaian voters - Poll
Although Samia Yaba Christina Nkrumah has said the possibility of a merger with NDC is not even being considered by CPP, merger-friendly musings by leading progressives, including this writer, reignited the debate for a coalition that is gaining ground among the supporters of CPP, NDC, PNC and GCPP nationwide.
Speaking to a couple of youth leaders on the phone from Accra, Ghana, they both said, “CPP and NDC would be foolish to rule out a serious examination of the merits of a coalition or merger before or after 2012 elections”. Another youth leader wants Samia to pursue a possible coalition deal with NDC before the country goes to polls in 2012. He said, “if we are serious about defeating the New Patriotic Party, we know coalition will be the best option and so does every analyst of political science in this country”. He said many leading progressive Nkrumaists have been floating the coalition idea as the best option before 2012.
The progressives argue that until the political left unites, the New Patriotic Party will benefit from a fragmented Nkrumaist parties. The progressives argument for a coalition is tremendously getting approval from Ghanaian voters, according a new poll.
A survey by Ghana Youth Movement found a strong majority of respondents in every region of the country supports a coalition of all the Nkrumaist parties. The poll comes as Samia wrestles power from the “Movement for Social Justice” sponsored candidate, Ladi Nylander.
The poll of just over 2,500 respondents – conducted the day after CPP successful congress – found that 70 percent supported a coalition and just 30 percent opposed the idea. The same found that 63 percent opposed a merger and just 24 percent supported the idea, a trend that covered age and gender across the 10 regions.
The voters opposition to a merger but approval for a coalition makes it unlikely that this notion of merger/coalition is going to be embraced by Samia and the CPP/PNC/GCPP leadership any time soon.
What the anti-coalition forces within the four Nkrumaists parties (NDC. CPP, PNC and GCPP) fails to realise is, one of greatest strengths of Ghanaian political system is that we have two vocal, viable political groups – Nkrumaist and Danquah-Busia-Dombo traditions. Thus it will be in the Nkrumaists interest to unite if they want to hang on to the presidency come 2012 elections.
The open discussions of an NDC-CPP/PNC/GCPP merger or coalition has overshadowed attempt by Samia to galvanize CPP/PNC ahead of politically charged December 2012 elections. Given that CPP hold only one seat in parliament, parliamentary primaries concerns will be top-of-mind and not a formation of a coalition, for the CPP leadership.
A Progressive Nkrumaist minister in the Mills government said, “We have to hold a serious debate on the future of Nkrumaism in the country”, and highlighted the shared values of his party and CPP. He said not discussing our coalition is not an option and that the CPP leadership must be reminded of their obligation to the Ghanaian people, who have openly called for a “left alliance”.
The minister, a formidable former parliamentarian and one of the best-known progressive Nkrumaists in the country, said, “We are currently divided, and we have to look at all the options”. He said, “the Ghanaian people are calling for a coalition, we cannot afford not to listen to them”.
However another CPP Nkrumaist progressive said he is not convinced of the benefits of coalition/merger, but added he could change his mind. He said CPP will not be bullied by NDC into early coalition, and that his party will mount a strong challenge for more parliamentary seats in the 2012 elections.
Many progressive Nkrumaists, including this writer, believes its good for CPP to discuss different ideas while they are in time of transition, a time of change and new direction, however as the polls clearly shows, it would be irresponsible for CPP/NDC to wait any longer. The Ghanaian people have clearly spoken and its time for the leadership of CPP/PNC/GCPP and NDC to listen to them.
