The leadership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), in response to former Trade and Industry Minister, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen’s resignation from the party, is urging party folks, all sector ministers, and other government appointees to close their ranks and also start propagating the unprecedented achievements of the government in their respective sectors.
To all party faithful who were hitherto supporting Mr. Kyerematen by virtue of his membership in the party, as disappointing and distressing his resignation may be, the party is urging “you to continue supporting the Party in our quest to break the eight (8).
Together, we shall overcome challenges, and together, we shall achieve success. We urge all party faithful to remain committed, dedicated and resolute in the ongoing Voter limited registration exercise.
Together, we shall persevere, and together, we shall succeed,” Kodua charged the teeming party supporters.
Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters in Accra, yesterday, the General Secretary of NPP, Justin Koduah, also dismissed Alan Kyerematen’s allegation that the NPP has been hijacked by a selective few.
He said “Ladies and gentlemen, the leadership of the Party equally disagrees with assertions made by Mr. Kyerematen on page eight (8) of his resignation address that ‘the Party has been hijacked by a selected group of Party leaders and elders, and government appointees behind the curtain power brokers’.”
“Guided by facts and data, the leadership of the Party disagrees entirely with this assertion. Historically, the selection of flagbearers for political parties in Ghana had been the preserve of a privileged few until the New Patriotic Party took the bold decision to decentralize the process by expanding its electoral college to enfranchise some One Hundred and Six Thousand, Five-Hundred and Ninety (106,590) delegates in 2010.”
He added, “Currently, about Two Hundred Thousand (200,000) delegates would be voting to select the Party’s next flagbearer relative to the estimated One Thousand Nine Hundred and Ninety-Eight delegates (1,998) who did same in 1992. Clearly, the quantum leap to Two Hundred Thousand (200,000) delegates in 2023 underscores the decentralization of power to all Party stakeholders and defeats the assertion that the Party has been hijacked by a privileged few.”.
He further rubbished Mr. Kyerematen’s claims of intimidation against his supporters emphasising that government appointees, including cabinet ministers who openly declared support for him are still at post.
“In reference to Mr Kyerematen’s concerns, which include allegations of intimidation against his supporters, it is noteworthy that certain government appointees, including cabinet ministers, who openly declared their support for him are still at post and have never been intimidated,” he stated.
Meanwhile, members of the campaign team of Alan Kyerematen in the Northern Region have declared their support for Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, ahead of the party’s National Delegates Conference slated for 4 November.
At a press conference in Tamale yesterday, Chabite Moses Moye, an administrator of the Alan campaign team in the region, expressed shock at Mr. Kyerematen’s decision to quit the NPP.
He emphasized that the campaign team’s support for Alan Kyerematen was tied to his affiliation with the NPP and therefore, by cutting ties with the party, the former flagbearer aspirant, has also severed ties with his support base in the region.
The group says following Mr Kyerematen’s resignation, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia now stands as the best candidate to lead the NPP into the 2024 election, hence their resolve to support him.
“All signs show that the vice president, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia who is also contesting will win. We have to work for the party. We will surely work with him and make sure that he gets the nod and continue to work for NPP to win power in 2024,” he stated.
Mr. Chabite stressed the team’s continued support of the NPP and that they will not betray the party for Alan’s personal agenda.
He bemoaned Alan’s failure to compete in the party’s contest, blasting him for betraying his loyal supporters.
“We are concerned, former supporters of Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen’s presidential candidacy of NPP are here today to express our profound disappointment with Mr Kyerematen. We as individuals have steadfastly believed in Alan within our party. We have diligently supported his campaign and believe in his potential to lead NPP.
“However, Alan chose to withdraw from the race without prior notice, citing isolated incidents of violence after our special delegates’ conference. This decision has inflicted unnecessary hardship on us because we firmly believe that the grassroots was firmly behind him. We were shocked and dismayed when he withdrew from the November presidential election.
“We can only describe this action as cowardly, and a betrayal of his loyal supporters. Today, we think of the party first, our support for him was rooted in NPP and not as an individual. We were shocked by his resignation from NPP, and some of us were disappointed. We will not betray our party, we remain NPP.”
