ABU SAKARA DUMPS CPP

By William Yaw Owusu

Thursday, January 07, 2016

Dr. Michael Abu Sakara Foster, the 2012 presidential candidate of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), has announced he would contest this year’s presidential election as an independent candidate.

He said he was in the race to break the NDC-NPP dominance on the Ghanaian political landscape and bring ‘real fundamental change.’

It is unclear whether Dr. Abu Sakara, an agronomist, has abandoned the CPP or the party had decided to part ways with him; but he said in a statement that he was contesting on the ticket of what he called ‘National Interest Platform.’ Speculations are rife that Dr Sakara, who polled only 20,232 votes, representing 0.18% in the 2012 elections, is being financed by the ruling party to further see the CPP balkanized.

“I wish to announce to my fellow compatriots that I will contest as an independent presidential candidate in the 2016 general election. The purpose will be to provide a more focused national interest platform on which we can truly build national consensus around the key issues that will really transform our nation for the good of all of us.”

NPP/NDC Alternative

He said, “My candidacy will galvanize momentum for real fundamental change in our approach to the many challenges that continue to hold us back from realizing our true potential and vision as a nation; and it is my fervent hope and conviction that my independent candidacy will provide the pivot around which many well-meaning Ghanaians from across the political spectrum can mobilize their heartfelt desire for an alternative to the NPP and the NDC.”

Dr Sakara said that the focus on a well defined national interest platform “will provide the mechanism needed to build momentum for a paradigm shift to overcome the polarized political dialogue that has divided our nation.

“The dominance of this duopoly has made our democracy stagnant and unresponsive to the many calls for real fundamental change in legislation, accountability and equity in governance. The ‘winner takes all’ syndrome has held our politics to ransom. There must be a credible political response to the cries of many frustrated Ghanaians for real change.”

Stagnation & Hopelessness

Dr. Abu Sakara further said it was in response to the ‘stagnation’ and ‘hopelessness’ that “I call upon fellow Ghanaians to back a single presidential candidate on an independent platform adding, “this National Interest Platform will focus on the key issues that affect us nationally and drive our desire for change.

Campaign Team

He said he was due to announce “further details of our objectives,  our national campaign team, my running mate, our symbol and give a time table for the launch of our manifesto to the public.” 

According to him,“The struggle for our liberation from poverty arising from unemployment and an economy trapped in a biased global order, continues.

Our emancipation and realization of our full potential among the comity of nations depend on us. Our determination to succeed is vital! Our success will be defined by our ability to accept and focus on the high order priority issues that constitute the national interest, irrespective of our partisan leanings.”