CPP nullifies Chairmanship position; calls for run-off

The Central Committee of the Convention People’s Party (CPP) has said its National Chairman Akosua Frimpomaa Sarpong-Kumankumah does not qualify to hold herself as such since she was not validly elected.

The Central Akosua Frimpomaa Sarpong-Kumankumah, who is also the leader of the party per its constitution, did not obtain the 50 per cent or more votes needed to validate her election as Chairman and has, thus, recommended a run-off between the now-deposed Chairman and her closest contender in the 2020 internal polls, Hajia Hamdatu Ibrahim.

The resolution followed an objection raised by the party’s First Vice-Chairperson, Mr Onsy Kwame Nkrumah, to the legitimacy of Nana Frimpomaa Kumankuma’s chairmanship.

A statement issued by the General Secretary, Nana Yaa Akempem Jantuah, said: “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”.

The Committee also said, “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 cast which does not qualify her as the Chairperson and Leader of the party”.

Consequently, the Central Committee said it has unanimously decided 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”.

Read below the full statement issued by the 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 the 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 cast 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 Organising Committee of the 2020 internal elections, Senior Comrade R. O. Frimpong Manso.

Additionally, no vote was taken in Congress to waive the constitutional provision requiring a 50% or more threshold and replaced it with a simple majority vote threshold. Numerous petitions and court actions have also entirely disrupted 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 Calso resolved a re-run should be conducted soon, in anticipation of that a re-run congress committee has been 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 Frimpomaa Sarpong-Kumankumah 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 CC meetings convened and chaired by comrade Akosua Frimpomaa 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.

Source: Classfmonline.com