Analysts tell CPP: Elect Aggudey and die

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Category: Politics

Created on Friday, 07 December 2007 00:00

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Analysts tell CPP: Elect Aggudey and die

Two prominent names and faces in the Ghanaian media landscape, Ben Ephson Jnr. and Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, have expressed some happiness at the new found spirit and the seeming re-emergence of a vibrant Convention People’s Party towards Election 2008.

They said however, that the CPP risks losing all benefits the new shine may bring it if delegates attending a national conference to select party leaders elect businessman, George Aggudey, as presidential candidate.

Voting in the election attended by 2001 delegates closed at about 9am on Monday due to a late start of voting on Sunday.

Ben Ephson, pollster and Editor of the Daily Dispatch newspaper and Gabby, Editor- in-Chief of the Statesman newspaper, were speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Monday.

According to Gabby, the choice of a candidate was a very crucial issue particularly for the CPP, having performed poorly at previous elections.

He explained that a good candidate can bring back life into the party and may even make the party more attractive to others.

“It is absolutely important that the CPP chooses a candidate that can give a good signal to Ghanaians generally that the CPP is on the rise. With the PNC we didn’t really get that; that is not to say that Edward Mahama is not a good material, but there is nothing new, there is nothing particularly different in what we’ve seen with the PNC over the period. If the CPP makes the mistake of sticking to business as usual, Aggudey as usual, then I think its attractiveness will remain the same which is under three percent,” said Gabby.

Peoples’ National Convention (PNC) General Secretary, Scott Pwamang, had argued that the real issues confronting the Nkrumahist parties, including the CPP and his own PNC, was the lack of focus in building a united front as even at this crucial time, members of the parties are rather pre-occupied with discussions on which party to align with when; be it NDC or NPP, for elections.

Mr. Pwamang who said he was encouraged by reports of a peaceful and successful CPP congress from Kumasi, expressed the hope that delegates would elect a good messenger ‘because the CPP tradition has a good message.’

“Somebody who can tell our story and also present the party in a manner that will make the party attractive to Ghanaians, to the youth, make our matters or our principles we talk about relevant to current issues and this is the kind of person that I’m hoping that the delegates will elect so that the person can partner with our own leadership so we can present something very strong for 2008.”

For Ben Ephson, the CPP’s very future depends on who they pick as presidential candidate, and “If they pick Aggudey, with due respect to him, they are dead in water, they better forget about 2008.”

Asked by show host, Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah, how that could be so since the National Democratic Congress has defended a similar stance for Prof Evans Atta mills, explaining that constituency may work positively for him, Ben Ephson said “If you look at the percentage of the core supporters of the CPP who voted for Mr. Aggudey, first and foremost before you can win the elections you need to get the floating voters to vote for you.

“If you look at the CPP in 2004, the total number of votes that the CPP parliamentary candidates had was 239,962, only 35.8 percent voted for Mr. Aggudey, which is 86,000. So if the core supporters of CPP, more than 64 percent thought that Mr. Aggudey was not good enough to be voted for, how can they go and tell the floating voters to vote for Mr. Aggudey? So I believe that it’s not with Mr. Aggudey’s person, may be he is a good businessman, but in terms of politics, the core supporters don’t believe in him enough to take the party to the next level.”

Source: Ghanazone

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Agudey shoots himself in the foot

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Category: Politics

Created on Wednesday, 24 October 2007 00:00

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Agudey shoots himself in the foot

A simple question as to how Mr George Aggudey, the 2004 Convention People's Party presidential candidate could win the CPP presidential race and subsequently the presidency drew venom from the aspirant.

But for the timely intervention of some CPP supporters who had gathered to cheer their aspirants who filed their nominations for various positions in the party on Monday, Mr George Aggudey, the 2004 CPP presidential aspirant would have turned the CPP headquarters at Asylum Down into a boxing ring.

Mr George Aggudey, who could not withstand the simple question from media practitioners started raining insults on any reporter who dared to ask him a question.

As he addressed the press Mr Aggudey intermittently had a bellicose posture, pointing his fingers at the reporters and threatening to slap them.

It all started when this reporter asked Mr Aggudey how he was going to win the CPP race, and subsequently the 2008 presidential elections against the background that he had less than one per cent of the valid votes cast in the 2004 elections.

Mr Aggudey who could not take the question from the reporter lightly, flared up and started pointing his fingers at the reporter, branding him as one of the people who had caused the downfall of the CPP.

He said he was offering himself for the second time, which he described as the best time because Ghanaians had already had his message since 2003.

This reporter drew his attention to the fact that the 2004 message earned him less than one per cent of the total votes cast in the 2004 elections.

“What percentage did Abraham Lincoln get to became President, he contested four times plus elections, Mr Aggudey said, and when he was again asked if he wanted to be like Abraham Lincoln to lose four elections he flared up.

”My friend, how many jobs have you changed. It is you people in the media who try to draw the party down. You should always see the best part of the CPP. Without the CPP you and myself will not be where we are.

He said there was nobody who had worked faithfully for the party than he had done, especially when people were calling on CPP supporters to vote for President Kufuor during the presidential elections and vote for them as Parliamentary candidates, where were those reporters?

At this juncture, the reporter sensing danger had to beat a retreat to avoid being the recipient of Aggudey's anger. But other reporters around asked what the media had done wrong to deserve his wrath.

Mr Aggudey, raining insults on a Citi FM reporter, Mr Richard Sky, for daring to ask that he (Mr Aggudey) did not do a vigorous campaign and was also not marketable enough.

Mr Aggudey advanced towards the reporter, threatening to slap him while at the same time verbally assaulting him, pointing to the two Lincoln cars he had brought.

The unfolding scenario attracted many people to the CPP Headquarters to join supporters to calm down Mr Aggudey who was using such words as “stupid”, “foolish,”, “buulu”, kwashia”.

He told Mr Sky that he (Mr Aggudey) was better off in life than him(Sky) and that he could buy more than four of the Citi FM stations with what he had but the Citi FM reporter could not buy a single Lincoln's tyre.

Many people came in to plead with Aggudey to calm down , but he continued with his threats, which lasted for well over 45 minutes, while the visibly shaken Mr Sky quickly called his office to bring a car to pick him.

While all these were going on, Mr Bright Akwetey came in with a brass band to be followed later by Dr Kwaku Osafo, another presidential aspirant, on a motor cycle, a scene which shifted much media attention from Mr Aggudey to him.

According to Dr Osafo, he was stuck in traffic and to meet the deadline, he had to plead with the motor rider to give him a lift to submit his filing papers and fees.

Mr Akwetey and Dr Osafo who sat side by side used the same pen in filing their forms in the full glare of the media and to the admiration of party supporters, urged the national executive to ensure that no single candidate hosted delegates or provided transport for them to the venue of the congress.

They urged the national executive to provide a level playing field for all the aspirants to give credence to the democratic credentials of the CPP.

At about 7.30 p.m., the media thought Dr Edmund Delle was the final person to file his nomination and were preparing to go and file their stories.

They were told that the General Secretary, Prof Nii Noi Dowuona, who had been receiving all the nomination papers and fees was also filing his nomination to contest the position of National Vice Chairman.

After filing his nomination papers Prof Dowuona and his assistant, Mr Daniels, invited the press to the conference room for a briefing, only for the Tema-based private medical practitioner, Dr F.W.K. Asante-Akuffo to enter the conference room midway at bout 7.45 p.m. to file his nomination.

Prof Dowuona had to suspend the press briefing to collect Dr Akuffo's documents amidst laughter from the press men.
Mr Ladi Nylander, Mr Iddrisu Egala and Dr Edmund Delle are contesting the position of national chairman.

Mr Eric Benyako, Madam Araba Bentsi Enchill, Mr Oteng Anane, Dr Abu Sakara, Mr Chris Yaw Zigah, Mr Kojo Armah and Prof Nii Noi Dowuona are vying for the position of national vice chairman, three of whom will be voted for.

Five people are vying for the general secretary position. They are Messrs Michael Nunoo, Ivor Greenstreet, Sekyin Kumba, Ekow Duncan and Michael Kosi Dedei.

Mr Mike Eghan, Nii Oti Okunnor and Dr Ardolf Luttrodt are, contesting the position of national treasurer while Nana Kweku Dumfeh, Ms Evelyn Anabila, Mr Henry Nii Abossey Thompson and Mr Amankwa Appiah are vying for national organiser.

Hajia Hamdatu Haruna and Ms Rosemary Anim were the only women contesting the National Women's Organiser position.

For the National Youth Organiser's position, Messrs James Kwabina Bomfeh and Francis Opai Tetteh are the contestants.

Story by Donald Ato Dapatem

Source: Ghanazone, 24 October 2007

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Aggudey, two others face two-day ultimate at CPP

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Category: Politics

Created on Wednesday, 05 December 2007 00:00

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Aggudey, two others face two-day ultimate at CPP

{sidebar id=10 align=right}Three Presidential aspirants of the Convention Peoples Party have been given 48 hours to submit personal tax clearance certificates to the party's Central Committee.
The three include Gocrest Security boss George Aggudey, lawyer Bright Akwetey and economist Dr. Kwaku Osafo.

They risk being left out of the committee's final list of Presidential aspirants if they fail to produce the requested documents.

Joy News sources say George Aggudey who is seeking a third time mandate as Presidential candidate is expected to specifically provide certificates proving his workers' Social Security contributions have been paid to SSNIT.

The two other aspirants, Bright Akwetey and Dr. Kwaku Safo, are also required to provide personal tax clearance certificates.

Meanwhile, three other aspirants, Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom, Professor Agyemang Badu Akosa and Dr. Akuffo have been cleared to contest the CPP's Presidential ticket at its December 15 Congress.

Dr. Edmund Delle, CPP Chairman, says the party will shortly announce a final list of approved aspirants.

Source: Ghanazone

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