Drawing their inspiration possibly from the dictum, "If you can't beat them, join them," the entire executive and some members of the Convention People's Party (CPP) in the Builsa North Constituency have decided to join the ruling New Patriotic Party.

The move leaves Dr. Kwame Nkrumah's party virtually collapsed in the constituency.

This entrenched decision taken by the defectors, according to them, followed three main causes, namely; lack of resources to organize the party at the grassroots, friendliness of the NPP sitting MP, Hon Agnes Chigabatia to her constituents irrespective of party affiliations, and above all, what they termed as, the satisfactory performance of the NPP government since its assumption of power.

In separate interviews with The Chronicle, the defected Builsa North Constituency Chairman and Secretary, Messrs Cletus Amoabil and Michael Musah respectively, noted that the CPP did not have the resources to embark, on not only effective but also a strategic campaign to be able to win the 2008 elections.

Mr. Amoabil declared that, "the CPP as it stands now, is not a surviving party worth following," indicating that, "there is no need wasting time following it," and that the constituency executive had consequently been dissolved. He noted that since 1992, the party had not been able to put its house in order recalling that in 2000, when the delegates in the constituency went to congress in Cape Coast, they were left stranded after the congress.

He said but for the assistance of the late John Achuliwor, a former NPP Member of Parliament (MP) for Navrongo Central, they would not have been able to return to their respective villages.

"We have become laughing stocks in this constituency, people have been mocking at us that the CPP is dead and still, the leadership of the party is not doing anything Lo change the fortunes of the party," the chairman told the paper, stating that they could no longer stand the humiliation.

Mr. Amoabil said he could not compel anybody to follow the executives but strongly believed that more CPP members had even taken the lead while majority of them were just waiting for the final decision of the executive.

"We can't force anybody to follow us, we can only encourage them to join the NPP but they have the right to join whichever party they so desired," he said. Both the Chairman and the Secretary separately commended the MP for the constituency, Hon Agnes Chigabatia, for what they said was her immense contribution to the development of the constituency.

What seemed to have marveled them was the MP's openness and readiness to assist any within her ability, any of her constituents regardless of one's party affiliation.

Asked why they decided to join the NPP but not any other party, Mr. Musah explained that they have seen that there was no other vibrant party that could unseat the NPP in 2008.

"Besides, with the performance of the NPP so far, we don't need to be told that the NPP is a development-oriented party. The NPP government has a better future for the country and we think we should give it the support to continue to implement its sensitive and pro-poor policies for the benefit of the poor majority in this constituency and the country at large," he added.

Mr. Musah who expressed gratitude the NPP government for executing more development projects in the constituency, encouraged the people in the constituency to vote for NPP if they really wanted to see development.

He said even though President Kufuor would be no more as president after 2008, "I know whoever becomes the flagbearer of the party will certainly win the 2008 elections to pursue the party's development-inclined ideology."


Culled from The Chronicle