CPP asks its Chairperson to step aside

The Central Committee of the Convention People’s Party (CPP) has directed the Chairperson of the party, Akosua Frimpomaa Sarpong Kumankumah to step aside.

According to the Committee, the current chairperson gained 43% of the total votes cast in their chairmanship elections of August, 2020, which does not make her qualified for the position she occupies.

In a statement sighted by Citi News, the Central Committee has resolved to conduct a run-off election between Akosua Frimpomaa Sarpong- Kumankumah and the first runner-up, Comrade Hajia Hamdatu Ibrahim.

Recently, the First Vice-Chairperson of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), Onsy Kwame Nkrumah, challenged Nana Frimpongmaa Kumankuma’s chairmanship.

He contented that she “has not been validly elected by CPP Delegates as Chairperson and leader of the party, and cannot hold herself out as such.”

Mr. Nkrumah wanted a declaration that Mrs. Kumankuma, having not been validly elected as Chairperson and leader of the Party, cannot carry out any CPP Executive function or participate in any such CPP Executive activities.

Below are the decisions of the Central Committee as signed by the CPP’s General Secretary, Nana Yaa Akempem Jantuah.

1. The Central Committee of the Party (CC) resolved that the breach of Article 93 (e) of the Party Constitution can only be rectified by carrying out a mandatory run-off between the two candidates who obtained the highest number of votes to select a winner as prescribed by Article 93 (f) of the Party’s Constitution.

That the chairmanship elections of 22nd of August, 2020 did not produce a validly elected Chairperson and Leader for the party as the leading candidate received only 43% of the total votes casted which does not qualify her as the Chairperson and Leader of the party.

That the unanimous decision of the CC is to set aside Comrade Akosua Frimpomaa Sarpong Kumankumah as the Chairperson and Leader of the party as she did not make the mandatory threshold of 50% or more of the total valid votes cast, and thus was sworn-in in error and in clear breach of the party’s constitution.

This error has been admitted and accepted by the Chairman of the Interim Organizing Committee of the 2020 internal elections Senior Comrade R. O. Frimpong Manso.

Additionally no vote was taken at Congress to waive the constitutional provision requiring 50% or more threshold and replaced it with a simple majority vote threshold. Numerous petitions and Court actions have also entirely disrupts the smooth running of the Party.

It has been resolved that a run-off election will be therefore be conducted between comrade Akosua Frimpomaa Sarpong- Kumankumah and the 1st runner-up Comrade Hajia Hamdatu Ibrahim.

The Central committee also resolved a re-run should be conducted soon, in anticipation of that a re-run congress committee has being set-up under the chairmanship of comrade Kwame Jantuah, chairman of the political affairs committee.

2. The CC unanimously nullified the illegal decision of the supposed interdiction of comrades Onsy Kwame Nkrumah, Nana Yaa Akempem Jantuah and Osei Kofi Acquah with immediate effect and ruled the previous unconstitutional decision of April 1st, 2022 as NULL and VOID.

3. The CC unanimously agreed to refer comrade Akosua Frimpongmaa SarpongKumankumah to the disciplinary committee for alleged financial misappropriation of funds donated to the party in the run-up of Election 2020.

4. The CC resolved, all decisions made at the 7th March and 1st April CCmeeting conveyed and chaired by comrade Akosua Frimpongmaa Sarpong-Kumankumah are null and void.

Furthermore all appointments or any newly sworn-in members of the CC carried out on the aforementioned dates are not binding and are of no legal effect.

5. The CC unanimously revoked the appointment of Comrade Sylvester Sarpong-Soprano as Director of Communications and has referred him to the disciplinary committee for bringing the party’s name into disrepute by citing five national officers for contempt of court on an official party letterhead.