Accra, July 14, GNA - The People's National Convention (PNC) on Friday slammed the Convention People's Party (CPP) for propagating politics of ethnocentrisms, which had derailed the Nkrumahists Unity Talks.
"Let's face facts about 80 per cent of CPP membership are not interested in uniting with the PNC for reasons best known to themselves," Mr James Alhassan, a PNC Leading member and a Lecturer at University for Development Studies, stated in a document presented to Ghana News Agency on current hindrance to the unity pact. Mr Alhassan, therefore, called on the PNC Leadership, to withdraw immediately from the Unity Talks, stressing: "I am only sad Nkrumahists have allowed our great name CPP to be lashed consecutively in two general elections.
"A piece of advice to genuine CPP members is that unless the charismatic Nkrumah is resurrected to lead CPP they can never win any elections in this country without compromises towards a united front. "I take this opportunity to call on all committed Nkrumahists within the CPP to realistically update themselves of what is on the ground and decide for themselves, who is genuinely interested in unity. He explained that what Ghanaians were looking forward to was not name, symbol and motto, but solutions to their problems.
"If names, symbols and mottos were a panacea to solving the problems of Ghanaians, the bulk of Nkrumahists in the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) and some in the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) would have long embraced the CPP wholesale as soon as the court ruled for its adoption of its name".
He said the performance of the CPP in the Election 2000 and Election 2004 when it used the name, symbol and motto of the Nkrumahist indicated that the PNC had consistently beaten CPP in six (6) out of the 10 regions.
Mr Alhassan, therefore, debunked CPP assertion that every other Nkrumahist party must dissolve itself and its membership and join the CPP as individuals and take membership cards.
"This position is wishful thinking since it does not take account of our recent history and the reality on the ground. The PNC has more seats in Parliament and its Presidential Candidate in the most recent elections got more votes than the CPP candidates.
The CPP has three (3) seats on loan from the NPP."
The PNC leading member reminded CPP activists that emotions and passions did not build a party and CPP elements should stop dreaming that the CPP was restored.
He said what the current CPP was excellent in doing was the issuing of press statements and press releases and their real "constituencies" could be found at the news stand.
Mr Alhassan said the purpose of the comments was to set the records straight, to ignore the distracted elements of the CPP and let genuine Nkrumahist determine, who was really thwarting the energies and efforts of making the good people of Ghana to know of the better alternative policies that the PNC can offer the suffering masses.
He explained that over a long period the PNC took a decision not to react to media publications emanating mainly from the CPP that were insulting and abusive.
=93This decision was taken by the Leadership of the PNC and communicated to all members and I can say without fear of contradiction that this directive of the PNC Leadership had been strictly complied with by the general membership of the PNC.
=93But while the membership and Leadership of the PNC have borne all the insults and derogatory comments, some supporters of the PNC at the grassroots thought the CPP Leadership could restrain their members from making unguided comments and publications if they could not reprimand them at all.=94