Alan Kyeremanteng – A Man On The Mission Of Destruction

Until his 2^nd time resignation from NPP on 25 September 2023, Alan was a key member of the Party and one of the influencing NPP members from Ashanti. He served as Ghana’s Ambassador to US under President Kuffour and Trade Minister under both Presidents Kuffour and Akuffo-Addo.

On 25 September 2023, Alan resigned from NPP for the 2^nd time. His first resignation was in 2007, before re-joining NPP. Alan cited similar grievances in 2007 and 2023.

In his 25 September 2023 press conference, he stated ‘it is abundantly clear to me, that my services and contributions to the Party are not appreciated, and that my continuous stay in the Party will create further tension and division, which is an exact replay of circumstances that led to my decision to resign from the Party in 2008.’

Unlike 2007, Alan announced on 25 September 2023, that he will contest the 2024 Ghana elections as an Independent Presidential Candidate. Several media outlets and people have analysed the impact that Alan standing as an independent candidate will have on the 2024 presidential elections. Everyone agrees that based on history, Alan is unlikely to perform well because when Wireko Brobbey, Nana Agyemang Konadu and others broke away from either NPP or NDC and formed their parties to contest the general elections, they did not do well.

The analysts have also considered the impact that Alan standing as an independent may have on NPP, particularly, in Ashanti Region. While some, particularly, the Joy FM journalists such as Evans Mensah believe that it will affect NPP significantly, others differ in their views. For example, in a YouTube interview (visit: Oh Alan why? Hassan Ayariga asks and predicts future for Ken Agyepong and Bawumia), Hassan Ayariga discussed persuasively that while Alan standing as an independent may cause some damage to NPP, it is unlikely to be significant, given many of Alan’s followers owe allegiance to NPP first and will vote for who emerges as NPP’s presidential candidate (Bawumia or Ken Agyepong). I agree with Hassan Ayariga, this is so because in the Super Delegates, Alan suffered a crushing defeat in his own home base, Ashanti. However, time will tell what will happen in the next presidential elections.

In any case, as others have discussed, in an unlikely event that Alan wins the elections, how is he going to rule the country? The Ghana constitution requires presidents to appoint majority of their ministers from Parliament. Does Alan believe that he will be able to appoint NPP parliamentarians as his minsters? Meanwhile he says he believes in NPP’s ideology, so will he succeed in appointing some NDC MPs as minsters? Even if he succeeds in appointing ministers made up of NPPs and NDCs, how will he be able to carry through his agenda without stiff opposition from Parliament? Clearly, Alan knows in his heart that he cannot win an election as an independent, after all he has failed repeatedly to win NPP’s presidential candidate slot.

I believe the main reason for Alan’s withdrawal from NPP presidential primaries on 4 November 2023, he clearly foresaw a defeat coming, a defeat not orchestrated by anyone as he is alleging, rather the delegates consider him as not the proper person to lead NPP. While Alan accuses that the Government machinery supports one person (Bawumia), it is also believed that he benefited from the same in 2007, yet Akuffo Addo beat him.

On 18 July 2023, Gertrude Ankah Nyavi reported on Graphic Online that Alan Kyerematen stated in his Volta Region campaign that ‘I made the greatest political sacrifice in the history of Ghana's politics by stepping down for Nana Addo. It was in the supreme interest of the NPP and to foster unity.’ Alan and his supporters used the above notion to propagate their “aduro meso” mantra.

Is it true that in 2007, Alan’s withdrawal was a sacrifice to preserve unity in the party or he saw a defeat coming in his way and had no choice but to step down? Analysing the results of NPP’s presidential primaries at Legon clearly indicates why Alan withdrew.

There were 17 candidates that contested the primaries. Out of the 2,285 valid votes cast, Akuffo Addo received 1,096 (47.96%), Alan 738 (32.30%) and the other 15 candidates 451 (19.74%). Since none of them received > 50%, the top two candidates, Akuffo Addo and Alan were required to battle it out and the one who would gain > 50% selected. Alan withdrew at this stage for Akuffo Addo to become the presidential candidate.

While Alan has cited the supreme interest and unity of the party as the basis of his withdrawal, the results indicated that he was going to lose the 2^nd round and that may have been the actual reason why he withdrew. With Akuffo Addo obtaining 1,096 (47.96%), he only required additional 48 from the 451 votes that went to other 15 candidates to emerge victorious, whiles Alan required 406, assuming all those who voted for Akuffo Addo and Alan in the 1^st round had voted the same way in 2^nd round. Clearly, the momentum was with Akuffo Addo, and Alan knew that it was impossible to beat Akuffo Addo, hence his withdrawal. If Alan had any realistic chance of winning the 2^nd round, he would not have withdrawn.

Furthermore, Alan has made other attempts to become NPP presidential candidate, and the percentage of NPP delegates backing him has decreased progressively. In 2010, he came 2^nd and received 20.40% of total valid votes cast compared to Akufo Addo's 77.92%. In 2014 Super Delegate Conference, he again came 2^nd by securing 7.97% of the valid votes cast compared to Akufo-Addo's 80.81%. In the final presidential primary to select the flagbearer, Alan scored 4.75% compared to Akufo-Addo’s d 94.35%.

In the 2023, Super Delegate Conference, Alan came 3^rd and received 95 votes (10.29%), compared to Kennedy Agyapong (2^nd) 132 votes (14.3%) and Dr Bawumia (1st) 629 votes (68.15%). So, unlike the previous context, Alan was unable to win a 2^nd position, but 3^rd, indicating his popularity is waning. To make matter worse, in his own backyard, Ashanti Region and the backbone of the electoral success of NPP, Alan came 2^nd by receiving only 10 votes (8.47%) compared Dr Bawumia (1^st) who received 97 votes (82.2%). In addition Dr Bawumia won in all 16 Regions. Clearly, the man from the North has the momentum.

It is clear from the above analysis that if Alan had remained to contest the 4 November primaries, he was likely to lose, as Dr Bawumia was likely to win and if there was to be any surprise, that would have been Ken Agyapong.

From the foregoing discussion, it is clear that since the 2007 contest, when Alan managed 32.3%, his performance in subsequent contests have not been encouraging. It is important to mention that even in the 2007 contest, the 738 votes Alan received represented only 67.34% of the 1,096 votes Akuffo Addo received and in numeral terms, Akuffo received 358 votes more than Alan, despite it is believed he had the backing of the Government.

Meanwhile, Alan recently attacked President Kuffour just because President Kuffour chose to endorse Dr Bawumia. Alan’s criticism of Mr Kuffour was both harsh and disrespectful, especially as the person who helped the political career of Alan.

Conclusion
If Alan has not done all that well in post 2007 NPP Super Delegates and Presidential Primaries, then it is unlikely that Alan would do well in the general election as an independent candidate. It seems clear that Alan’s aim of standing as an independent is to take revenge and cause damage to Dr Bawumia’s and NPP’s chances of winning the election in 2024. But he would not succeed in causing defeat to the parties they left.

Most importantly, what legacy is Alan leaving? This action he has taken and recent unduly criticism of President Kuffour will be discussed throughout generations. It is better to leave NPP and stay quite rather than deliberately take an action that will impact all people around you. Dr Duffour was not happy with the NDC primaries and even went to court but in the end, he moved one.

Why then is Alan acting against his own claim that in 2007, he stepped down from the Legon contest, in the supreme interest of the NPP and to foster unity. Why is he now acting against the interest of NPP, knowing very well that there is no way he will win as an independent candidate. It is just a matter of a revenge and that if I don’t get it then we should all miss it (pull him down syndrome).

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