From Alan the Contender to Alan the Quitter

From Alan the Contender to Alan the Quitter
In a startling turn of events, Alan Kyeremanten has officially withdrawn from the NPP presidential primaries race. Until his recent public announcement, Alan stood as the prominent contender for the coveted role of NPP flagbearer for election 2024. His withdrawal statement painted a disheartening picture of his NPP party, citing a spectrum of unfair treatment, from vote buying to incumbency abuse and brazen daylight intimidation and violence.

Recall in 2007, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen made the greatest political sacrifice by voluntarily stepping down for Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, to contest the 2008 presidential election. Today, this very man who benefited from the benevolence of Alan has whipped the system to support a completely new Alhaji Bawumia who was nowhere near the struggle in 2007. Just because, Alhaji Bawumia has been at the center of his administration’s mismanagement, corruption and thievery.

Betrayal of the highest order!
The grievances Alan outlined as basis for his withdrawal do no come as a surprise to any avid democracy watcher. The NPP has, over time, evolved into West Africa's poster child for undemocratic practices. Their internal elections seem designed to stifle competition, the special delegates election provision in their constitution stand out as a glaring example. This provision allows for a strange process of shortlisting only five candidates for their main elections, casting a shadow of inequality and predetermination of who becomes the flagbearer at the main polls.

The New patriotic party (NPP), under President Akufo-Addo's leadership, has meticulously orchestrated a series of questionable maneuvers to tilt the electoral scales in favor of their chosen candidate, the flip-floppers Alhaji Bawumia. The recent super delegates elections witnessed an unparalleled spectacle of public voting, where vote buying unfolded brazenly, secret ballots—essential for fair elections—were rendered virtually meaningless, and violence and opacity became the order of the day.

The NPP since the inception of Ghana’s democracy has never won any elections freely without underhand dealings and manipulations. Every election they have won in this country has been as result of electoral malpractice and rigging.

It's hardly surprising that the NPP flaunts its reputation as the political party with internationally certified election riggers. The infamous Peter Mac Manu, who faced the Kenyan government's censure during an election observation mission, serves as a stark reminder of this dubious distinction.

While the NPP's disposition toward democratic elections may not shock Ghanaians, the extent of the machinations and recklessness within their own internal contests is indeed astonishing. Many believed that the NPP's inconsiderate manipulation and violent actions, such as the tragic incidents killing innocent people during the 2020 general elections, were motivated by their inherent hatred for H.E John Dramani Mahama and the NDC. However, the treatment meted out to Alan Kyeremanten and other aspirants only solidifies suspicions that, the current Akufo-Addo’s NPP is not genuinely committed to building a democratic Ghana with solid economic prospects. Instead, they act solely to satisfy their idiosyncratic desires. Cecelia Dapaah’s questionable wealth is a classical example.

Chinua Achebe under this circumstance would have asked, "When crocodiles eat their own eggs, what will they not do to the flesh of a frog?"

The special delegates' elections merely served as a prelude to the anticipated rigging and violence in the November elections. The main election will certainly be characterized by extreme violence, vote buying and widespread intimidation. It's safe to say that within this hostile environment, Alan has saved himself from the most egregious humiliation at polls by shelving his ambition at this point.

This is not a moment for the traitor Akufo-Addo and his candidate, Alhaji Bawumia, to celebrate. Rather, it's a time for somber reflection on their reckless and dishonorable behavior; an opportunity to contemplate measures to salvage their badly tarnished credibility. Akufo-Addo must also ponder on the legacy he leaves as the leader of the New Patriotic Party, and whether he can hand over leadership as smoothly as his predecessor did. Clearly, he has destroyed every beautiful thing he has come to meet. Never again!

Alan Kyeremanten's dignified withdrawal is a foresight that deserves commendation. He has demonstrated that it is worth nothing to participate in an election that has its outcome already determined. All Akufo-Addo appointees and the party officers in the 16 regions who are expected to man the November elections are stationed to do the bidding of the “establishment candidate”, Alhaji Bawumia. These party officers and all government appointees have been designed to be the center stage of their violence, vote buying, intimidation and ballot stuffing.

To this end, It is imperative to draw the attention of the Ghanaian youth to the stark reality that the NPP is not a political entity worthy of their sacrifices. With Alan’s dedication and service to the party, look at how abruptly they have ended his career, without any iota of respect. Akufo-Addo and his old crooks have used a relatively short period to bring to ground what he has toiled to build for so many years. Pathetic!

Writer
Suadique Musah
(NDC foot-soldier)