The entire Western Region campaign team of former New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer hopeful, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, has joined Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s camp.
The team took the decision after extensive discussions and thorough assessment of the four other candidates who are contesting the flagbearership position.
Addressing a press conference, the leader of the team, Bruce Amartey, popularly called ‘Mantse’, said the team members have decided to support the candidature of Dr. Bawumia and believed that he is the one who could lead the NPP retain power come the next general elections.
“We have collectively decided that following Alan Kyerematen’s decision to withdraw from the NPP presidential race, we will support the candidature of the Vice President, Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia,” he explained.
He stated, “We believed in Alan Kyerematen’s vision and set out to support him. But now that he has decided not to contest, we need to take a decision—a decision that would also protect our political future as young men and women here in the Western Region.”
He added that the Vice President is the only person who can help the NPP win the 2024 presidential elections.
It would be recalled that other supporters of the former Trade Minister in the region had already thrown their support behind the Vice President to become the NPP’s flagbearer for the 2024 general elections.
On September 11, 2023, the former Member of Parliament for Evalue-Ajomoro-Gwira in the Western Region, Catherine Abelema Afeku, who was a key member of Alan Kyerematen’s campaign team, pledged her support for the candidature of Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia in the November 4 flagbearership election of the NPP.
Prior to that, the Regional Coordinator of Alan’s campaign, Chris Larbi noted that the followers of the former Trade Minister were taken aback when news reached them that Mr. Kyerematen had withdrawn from the NPP presidential race.
He told DAILY GUIDE in an interview that, “In fact, the hearts of the supporters of Alan in the region are broken over his sudden decision.”
Alan Kyerematen, one of the leading members in the NPP flagbearership race, officially withdrew from the race on Tuesday, September 5, 2023.
He cited the intimidation of delegates in the party’s Super Delegates’ Conference, among others, as some of the reasons that informed his decision to drop out of the race.
From Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi