Politics of Tuesday, 28 August 2007

Source: GNA

Aspirant urges CPP to set code of conduct

Accra, Aug. 28, GNA - Dr Kwaku Osafo, an aspiring Flag bearer of the Convention Peoples Party (CPP) on Tuesday urged the party's Central Committee to immediately come out with a code of conduct for all the aspirants to ensure sanity in their campaign. "In view of the highly sensitive nature of our third National Delegates Congress slated tentatively for September ending, it is necessary to draw the attention of national executives to creating a level playing field and control the campaign of the aspirants to ensure civility in the process leading to congress," Dr Osafo told the Ghana News Agency in an interview in Accra.

The Aspirant, who is currently on a campaign tour in the north noted that the code would ensure that all candidates had the right and freedom to put forward their views to the delegates without hindrance. He called on the other contestants to publicly condemn any form of political violence or intimidation, irrespective of who originated it, especially the circulation of a purported official list of CPP presidential candidates and national executives for the September Congress.

"We must avoid the use of inflammatory language, actions, images or manifestations that incite violence, hatred, contempt or intimidation against any of the aspirants as we all belong to one family," Dr Osafo stated.

He urged the delegates to discard the alleged list, listen to all the aspirants to elect a candidate not only for CPP but the one capable of leading the party to victory in 2008.

Dr Osafo urged his supporters and party activists to resist the temptation of indulging in violent activities or intimidation as a way of demonstrating strength or supremacy.

"Electoral supremacy for Elections 2008 would be determined on the intellectual platform, not on physic and intimidation," the CPP aspirant noted.

He said his tour across the country had portrayed him as the most popular and dynamic presidential aspirant the CPP needed to lead the party to Elections 2008.

"I have demonstrated my considerable political experience to the delegates across the country and I believe I have what it takes to win the next general elections if elected as the presidential candidate of the CPP, he said.

Dr Osafo urged CPP supporters to be on their guard, close their ranks and intensify their campaign to enable the party to win the next elections, saying: "The present socio-economic hardships facing Ghanaians call for a change in the leadership of the country". He also asked the supporters to be wary of the other aspirants who would try to influence them with money. 28 Aug. 07