Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen
A SENIOR Lecturer at the University of Ghana Business School (UGBS), Dr. Kobby Mensah, has said the massive turnout at the health walk for Trade and Industry Minister, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, underscores a high favourability rating among the New Patriotic Party (NPP)-leaning voters.
The health walk dubbed: “Aduru Wo So,” came off a fortnight ago in Kumasi, the Ashanti Regional capital, and it was reported to have attracted over 200,000 patrons.
The UGBS lecturer, whose research interests are in political marketing and others, said the Alan walk speaks to the kind of energy that he can bring into the political system and the NPP in the face of apathy.
He told TV3 that “there is quite a lot of apathy in the system. As we speak, people are not really getting closer [if I should put it that way] to politicians.”
“And so to be able to bring up such a number at the time when people are not friendly with political system, I think it was quite surprising and interesting,” Dr. Mensah asserted, and added that the turnout at the health walk shows that Alan is coming into the NPP flagbearership contest with one of the highest approval ratings for any candidate.
“That speaks to the kind of energy some candidates are able to bring to the table,” the lecturer stated.
Even though the NPP’s approval ratings remain low and some Ghanaians are discontented with the state of the country and the economy, with inflation remaining high, the Alan supporters believe the man who is gunning to replace President Akufo-Addo can turn things around, and is poised to roll back much of the party’s legacy.
For organisers of the health walk, Alan represents enthusiasm for the 2024 re-election bid of the NPP, asserting that the party’s leaning voters do not want anyone apart from Alan.
According to them, Mr. Kyerematen’s reservoir of goodwill as he eyes the NPP flagbearership can be cold comfort for National Democratic Congress’(NDC’s) shut out of the Jubilee House corridors of power.
The NPP has set 2023 for the conduct of presidential primary election which will be a straight fight between Alan Kyerematen and Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
Several surveys within the NPP confirmed Alan Kyerematen as the choice of the average NPP delegate, with reported 194,000 plus polling station executives all endorsing his candidature at the expense of his rivals.
But the Alan supporters say among the NPP, their idol has near-universal support, as his approval continues to climb in the lead up to the presidential and parliamentary primaries.
BY Ernest Kofi Adu