Ghana CPP and PNC Alliance is a Sham

The reported alliance between the People's National Convention (PNC) and the Convention People's Party (CPP) for this year's elections appears to be a sham as leaders of the two political are still uncertain about final modalities. Some Leaders of the two parties have therefore stressed the need to adhere to the proper procedure in their electoral pact to contest Election 2008. The PNC has expressed concern about the haste with which CPP announced the deal, even before the appropriate organs of the Parties had been informed. The Leading Members of PNC said the National Executive Committee (NEC), which is the highest decision-making body of the Party, made up of the National Executives, all Regional Chairmen and their Secretaries and the Council of Elders, would meet to decide on the way forward. "To PNC, the announcement was pre-mature as the modalities for forming an electoral agreement with CPP will have to be deliberated upon by NEC before PNC's position would be announced to the world. For now there is no electoral agreement. At best we have intentions to form an electoral agreement to contest Election 2008." Dr Edward Nasigre Mahama, Flag Bearer, led the PNC team, which included Alhaji Ahmed Ramadan, National Chairman; Mr Emmanuel Wilson, National Youth Organiser; Mr Henry Asante, Publicity Chairman; Hajia Agyara Ali, National Women Organiser; and Mr David Nibi, Deputy National Treasurer. Others were Mr Gabriel Scot Pwanmang, Former General Secretary, and Mr Moses Daniba and Mr Haruna Apayariga, both Members of Parliament. A PNC National Executive source told GNA that Dr Nduom had 11 votes as against nine for Dr Mahama. After performing poorly in both 1996 and 2000 polls, where PNC received 3.0 per cent and 2.5 per cent of the total votes cast, respectively, it entered into an agreement with two other parties - Every Ghanaian Living Everywhere (EGLE) and the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP) - for Election 2004. The three parties formed an alliance that they called the "Grand Coalition" with Dr Mahama as its presidential candidate but it won only 1.9 per cent of the votes cast in the Presidential Election.