Alan Kyerematen
One of the four shortlisted persons in the first stage of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer race has quit the political grouping for the second time in his political life.
The former Minister of Trade and Industry, who until his decision to resign from the NPP following his inability to garner appreciable votes during the party’s Special Delegates’ Conference, showed signs of sulking until this announcement.
He told the media during the press conference that he is going to contest the 2024 election as an independent candidate.
During his engagement with the media, he said he had taken the decision to quit the NPP because the political grouping had failed to appreciate his services and contributions since the formation of the party in 1992.
“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.
“Under the circumstances and given the context provided, I wish to use this platform to announce that I am honourably resigning with immediate effect from the New Patriotic Party to contest for the high office of the President of the Republic of Ghana in the 2024 General Elections, as an Independent Presidential Candidate,” he stated.
He, therefore, used the opportunity to appeal to Ghanaians to support and vote for him as the next President of the country with unmatched integrity that could guarantee the economic and industrial transformation, restore confidence in political leadership and the unification of an increasingly divided nation.
Alan Kyerematen, prior to the announcement yesterday, emerged third among the 10 aspirants who contested to be selected as part of the final five (5) who were selected by the party’s delegates to contest for the NPP’s national delegates’ congress to elect its flagbearer for the 2024 general elections.
According to him, the party’s Special Delegates’ Conference was “strategically and tactically skewed in favour of one particular aspirant,” and was in his view unprecedented in the history of internal elections of the party, citing some levels of intimidation and monetisation that also characterised the elections.
He further described subsequent decisions made by the National Council to vary the rules of procedure for the run-off following the outcome of the Special Delegates’ Conference as direct contravention of both the party’s constitution and guidelines issued by the Presidential Elections Committee.
He, therefore, described such decisions by the party as “a travesty of justice, and a demonstration of high handedness by the highest decision-making body of the Party, second only to the Annual Delegates Conference”.
“The Party has been hijacked by a selected group of Party leaders and elders, government appointees, ‘behind the curtain power brokers’ and some unscrupulous Party apparatchiks,” he added.
Mr. Kyerematen said that the unmeritorious decisions by the party’s hierarchy among several other reasons has led him to go solo as an independent candidate, to contest the 2024 presidential elections to actualise his goal of transforming the economy with his experience in the world of work and politics.
He said, “I will establish and lead a new ‘movement for change’ in Ghana. The brand logo for the movement is the Monarch Butterfly, which politically symbolises change and transformation, hope, and positivity. It also communicates strength, endurance, spirituality, and trust, which are key traits that I cherish as a Political Leader. In Akan, it is known as Afrafranto. The brand motto of the movement is ‘Ghana Will Rise Again,’ which symbolises hope for the future of Ghana”.
He also touched on his transformational plan dubbed “Great Transformational Plan” (GTP), geared at building a strong macroeconomic environment characterised by a stable currency, low inflation, and sustainable debt levels among others.
Other pillars of the plan he mentioned include a New Agricultural Revolution (NAR) for Ghana, which will first take advantage of both local, regional and global markets promoting industrial transformation through value addition, accelerated infrastructure development, energy security and diversification as well as undertaking a comprehensive review of existing reforms in the educational sector, particularly the Free SHS programme to ensure optimum efficiency and effectiveness in its implementation among several others.
He also stated that the four dominant themes for his change agenda and movement include breaking the duopoly of the two main political parties in Ghana; the NPP and NDC, while bringing an end to the “winner takes all” political syndrome as well as promoting the establishment of a government of national unity, which will include people from all walks of life, irrespective of their political, religious, and ethnic affiliations.
Others include building consensus on a national development agenda, fighting arrogance of power, and waging a war against corruption, particularly from the public purse among others.
The announcement yesterday was for political observers a rollercoaster affair because of the many speculations which surrounded the press conference.
An earlier press conference after the congress was put off and a statement issued which contained the pain he endured after his poor showing at the congress.
Political observers could not help recalling the déjà vu nature of the second resignation of the man fondly called Alan Cash.
In 2008 when he resigned with factors no different from what he put forth yesterday, the then Chairman of the party, the late B.J. da Rocha said in a statement that, “in light of this latest statement, it is my considered view that it will not be in the best interest of the NPP to receive Mr. Alan Kyerematen back into the party’s fold. He will become a disruptive factor in the party, a stumbling block, a loose cannon. The party has an election to win. We should concentrate our efforts on the task ahead and let him go his way in peace.”
The late Chairman’s reaction came against the backdrop of a decision by others to have Alan plead to rescind his resignation decision. As it were anyway, he was prevailed upon to change his mind.
It would appear that even as Alan served as minister under the present political dispensation, he had misgivings, snippets of his which have found space in his remarks especially following his withdrawal from the flagbearer race.
Many NPP sympathisers think he is overpampered and should be allowed to go as da Rocha suggested in 2008. A few however are of a varied disposition, maintaining that after all we are in a democracy in which we can take the paths we want.
By Ebenezer K. Amponsah