Nana Gabby Nsiah Nketiah has said the Convention People’s Party (CPP) did not choose him as running mate to flag bearer Ivor Greenstreet because the party had no choice.
“I think they [CPP] had all the time. Ivor was chosen on the 30th of January till now so they can’t tell me they didn’t have the time [to look for a running mate]. They had all the time; they had difficulties, so, perhaps, I was the last attempt.
“As I told you, the presence of Ivor impressed me a lot because he had the courage to go through 27 million people in Ghana and come to me and say: ‘Hey my friend, I want you to be my running mate!’ It could not have been in a haste. Perhaps, I gave the answer in a haste … but definitely I don’t think they picked me because they didn’t have any choice. They must have their own game-plan,” the 73-year-old retired diplomat told Moro Awudu on Class91.3FM’s Inside Politics programme on Monday, 3 October.
The honorary traditional leader revealed that he decided to partner the party’s flag bearer for the December 7 polls because he was awed by him after their first meeting.
“I observed his humility, ideas and his poise. I said: ‘Here is the man; this is love at first sight.’ I was impressed and I knew that if I follow this man, I will not regret it,” he said.
The businessman explained that he had no intention of getting into active politics and was focused on his business ventures until one day Mr Greenstreet came to have a meeting with him at his office in Accra.
After thorough consultations, Nana Nketiah said he decided to take up the position because of his belief in Nkrumahism and pan-Africanism.
He believed Mr Greenstreet had the qualities to revive the Nkrumah spirit in the CPP and win the presidential poll.
“Ivor has a chance of winning this election but we have not fielded enough [parliamentary] candidates. But for Ivor, listen to him at the debates and think about his point of view. The way he handles himself you will be surprised. Ivor, I believe, will certainly make an impact in this year’s election,” he told Moro Awudu.
He believed the CPP can relate to all age groups indicating that Mr Greenstreet appeals to the youth and possesses ideas to spur development in the country. He said he can also reach out to the older generation and together with the right strategy in 2016, the CPP can make an impact on December 7.
“Ivor is young and he can relate to the youth. I am just an elderly man to give him all the advice and the backing as I can; there are older people who also vote,” he noted.
Mr Nketiah, who served as Ambassador to Korea under President John Kufuor in 2008, called on all Nkrumahists to come together in order to “keep Nkrumah’s dreams alive”, stressing that if he could leave the NPP to join the CPP, then Nkrumah’s followers would have no excuse not to follow suit.
He said he was an admirer of the daughter of the founder of the CPP and expressed a strong conviction of convincing Ms Samia Yaba Nkrumah, who lost to Mr Greenstreet at the presidential primaries, to join forces with the flag bearer to attain great feats at the December polls.
“I admire her courage and involvement in the party and will get her to come with Ivor and try to put the pieces together. I will talk to her. She respects me and she will understand what I am saying,” he added.
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