Politics of Wednesday, 10 September 2014

Source: tv3network.com

Mornah lashes out at CPP-PNC leaders over merger talks

General Secretary of the People’s National Convention (PNC) Bernard Mornah says the major impediment to merger talks between his party and the Convention People’s Party (CPP) is “the issue of ego”.

He said none of the executives of the two parties are ready to sacrifice their positions for the merger of the two Nkrumahist political parties.

“For me, I will compromise my position as General Secretary for the unity to come,” he stated.

“Will the other leaders in the CPP and PNC do the same?” he wondered. Mr Mornah was speaking on TV3 on Tuesday, September 9 over the delay in merger talks between the two parties.

The CPP and PNC began merger talks prior to the 2012 general elections but discussions were stalled because of the elections, according to Ernesto Yeboah, the Youth Organiser of CPP.

“The timing was not on our side. Therefore, we had to curtail that process and then shift it to now.”

The chances of the two former ruling parties returning to power continue to wane as their presidential candidates drop on the perking order in elections.

While PNC’s Hassan Ayariga came fifth with 0.22 per cent of total votes cast in the 2012 elections, CPP’s Abu Sakara followed closely with 0.18 per cent of total votes cast.

They were surpassed by Progressive People’s Party’s Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom, who founded his party the same year of the elections, and Great Consolidated Popular Party's Dr Henry Lartey.

“There is the need for us to unite,” emphasized Mr Mornah.

“Can you imagine that on one platform, you find Dr Edward Mahama, Professor Edmund Delle, Prof. Agyemang Badu Akosa, Kwesi Pratt Junior, Kweku Baako Jnr and Smaia Nkrumah trumpeting one message?”

He said if the leaders of the two parties compromise their egos, the two parties can merge to be a formidable force to reckon with in Ghana politics.