CPP’s leadership is in disarray.

With only 362 days until the 2024 elections, the Convention People’s Party (CPP) is in disarray, threatening to damage Dr. Kwame Nkrumah’s political monopoly.

While some members of the party’s leadership allege that the whole national executive has been replaced with an interim council to guide the CPP‘s business, the party’s national chairman, Nana Akosua Frimpomaa Sarpong Kumankuma, insists she is still the party’s leader.

According to a statement signed by Dr. Akwasi Bosompem Boateng, the spokesperson for the 13-member Interim Council, following the voluntary resignation of the eight national executive members, with the exception of the National Chairman, the National Executive Committee (NEC) removed her from office in accordance with the party’s constitution and the NEC’s powers. CPP

The Interim Council is presided over by Kwame Nkrumah Botsio, who also serves as Secretary.

However, there are hints that the country’s first ruling party’s internal bickering may take some time.

Chairperson

Nana Kumankuma denied the reports of her dismissal in an interview with the Daily Graphic, explaining that she convened the NEC meeting in Kumasi and confirmed the resignation of the eight because “the NEC, which I chaired, did not make any decision.”

She went on to say that their resignation was accepted during the meeting and that “as chair of the NEC, I closed the meeting without tendering my resignation, nor was I removed from office, nor was any Interim Council formed.”

She claimed that people posing as Interim Council members were unknown, and she asked them to cite where they found their validity in the party’s constitution. CPP

Nana Kumankuma stated that during the discussion on other subjects, a letter purportedly accusing her of operating a one-man show was read, and some members attempted to vote to remove her.

She stated that she requested a copy of the letter and requested that the accusation be routed via the party’s procedures for dealing with such situations before adjourning the meeting.

Another statement from Christian Yao Zigah, Vice Chairman of the Council of Elders, backed up the chairperson’s position and called the Interim Council unlawful and in violation of Chapter 12, Article 111 of the CPP Constitution.

“The Council of Elders of the party, in accordance to their statutory tasks established in Article 68 of our party’s constitution, branded the Interim Council as “illegally created,” according to the statement.

The Interim Council

In a statement, the Interim Council stated that since the NEC decision, it had taken note of conflicting positions and statements in the public domain, particularly those of the former National Chairperson and Leader, former General Secretary, and a co-opted member of the Council of Elders.

It warned past leaders and prominent members to accept the National Executive Committee’s unanimous decision and refrain from making statements or utterances that bring the party’s reputation into shame.

“The Interim Council has been legitimately established by the NEC which is the second highest decision-making body after the National Delegates Congress, and the Council is an entirely legitimate body created by NEC to steer the affairs of the party in the short term,” the statement went on to say.

The Interim Council is made up of appointed and authorized Regional Chairmen, Regional Secretaries, Regional Organisers, Regional Women Organisers, Regional Youth Organisers, Council of Elders, and other members representing various organs of the party.

“As a result, we urge the CPP’s rank and file to put their faith and trust in the decisions that the Interim Council will make.”

These tasks shall be carried out with fairness and urgency, as well as an uncompromising dedication to the party,” it stated.

Elders’ Conference

Another letter, dated December 6, 2023, and signed by Mr. Zigah, a representative of the Council of Elders at the Kumasi meeting, stated that the NEC meeting, which was supposed to have nullified the position of National Officers, was carried out without due process as per Article 82 of the party’s constitution and was thus null and void.

“The voluntary resignation of some national officers at the NEC meeting is solely their personal decision and thus valid.”

As a result, I urge all party members and supporters to disregard the aforementioned press announcement.

In any case, I’d like to remind all party members that “the appointment of an interim council is solely the responsibility of the Council of Elders.”

Brilliant Akwetey

Mr. Bright Akwetey, a senior CPP member who supports the Interim Council, told the Daily Graphic in an interview that “the party had suffered at the hands of women who are always fighting, and we don’t know what they are fighting for, and the party was not going forward so we had to take a decision.”

He went on to add that “it was to ensure that the party moved forward that a decision was taken to set all of them aside because they were all a stumbling block for the party.”

When asked if what had happened was in accordance with the CPP Constitution, he replied in the positive.

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