The Progressive People’s Party (PPP) has unveiled a programme of action that will enable the party to become a strong winning political brand in this year’s election and beyond.
In line with this, the PPP is placing focus on the parliamentary campaign and doing everything possible to position its parliamentary candidates from all the 10 regions to end what the party calls “this Winner-Takes-All disease in our politics.”
According to the party’s National Chairman, Nii Brew Hammond, “We need PPP members in Parliament to champion this change agenda and reduce heightened tensions that could weaken the nation’s democratic credentials.” At a press conference at the party’s headquarters at Asylum Down in Accra last week, Nii Hammond said “while we wait for the Presidential campaign to take off, we are not sleeping. Starting from May 21, 2016, the party will launch a National House-to-House and Village-to-Village parliamentary campaign for our confirmed candidates and continue to get those constituencies that still have not confirmed candidates to do so.”
He said the party’s campaign to wrest power from the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) was already in full swing.
He, however, mentioned that the national convention of the party had been slated for July 16, 2016, when the party’s presidential candidate for the 2016 poll would be unveiled for the presidential campaign to begin.
Prior to the national convention, he said the party would also hold a National Women's Conference on May 28, 2016 in Sunyani on the building of a gender equitable society and a National Youth Conference on June 18, 2016 in the Volta Region to address youth empowerment and employment.
From June 1, the party, he said, would engage the media to publicise PPP's 10-Point agenda and policies to bring positive transformation to Ghana.
NC endorses Nduom
He said the National Committee (NC) of the PPP had already endorsed Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom as the party’s flag bearer for the 2016 election because he was the only person who picked forms when nominations were opened this year.
Dr Nduom placed third in the 2012 presidential election, garnering 64,362 votes, representing 0.59 per cent. With his endorsement, the business magnate will come up against President John Dramani Mahama for the NDC, Nana Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Edward Mahama of the People’s National Convention (PNC’s), Lawyer Ivor Kobina Greenstreet of the Convention People’s Party (CPP) and Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings of the National Democratic Party (NDP).
The national convention will be organised in Accra on July 16, 2016 to outdoor their Presidential Candidate, Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom. He was the only candidate after the nomination process which was supervised by the national committee.
The party, he said, would embark on a vigorous national campaign to win votes during the period of August-September-October.
He said the PPP would act to preserve and protect the votes during the days leading to the election, from the end of October until the election was held and the votes counted.
“We want to sound a word of caution to all and sundry including the Electoral Commission. The PPP will not sit down for anyone to cheat and steal its votes in 2016. We were new on the scene in 2012. We have matured and are wise to the ways of vote buyers and stealers. We will continue to sound the alarm over the shameful stealing of our tax money to fund the NDC's campaign. Incumbency is not a passport to steal our money. We are prepared to use legal means to aid the Electoral Commission to enforce the laws that govern political parties and elections,’ he emphasised.
Crusaders against corruption
In the view of Nii Hammond “Today, it is the PPP, not the NPP in opposition that has established the moral authority to be crusaders against corruption, poverty in all its forms, impunity of government and abuse of incumbency.”
He said the people voted for the parties they thought could win the election, and not the party with the capability to improve their standard of living. “Now the reality has sunk in. Doing the same wrong thing over and over again does not get you the change you need. Ghanaians are beginning to wake up and understand that you get what you vote for.
“We believe in a progressive philosophy. We are people centered, pragmatic and concerned with the betterment of human life, including the achievement of a high quality of life”,’ Nii Hammond stated.
According to Nii Hammond, the NDC and NPP went after votes in 2012 - by all means, refusing to take the moral high road. They won votes and seats in Parliament but lost the opportunity to lead from the front.
He gave the assurance that the PPP would demonstrate to Ghanaians that they would stand up for the rights of all citizens, be strong advocates for reforms, work for independence and strengthening of state institutions and look for good candidates for 2016.
PPP formation
The PPP was formed with the belief that Ghana deserves better results than has been achieved in the Fourth Republic so far. The founders of the PPP thought long and hard before making the decision that an independent, progressive movement, not tied to the apron strings of any political party that has won power since independence, would offer the best chance to bring change to the country and its people, the positive type that could be felt by all Ghanaians and not just a privileged few.
“We are people centered, pragmatic and concerned with the betterment of human life including the achievement of a high quality of life,’ the National Chairman for the PPP, Nii Allotey Brew Hammond stated.
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