I’m Running – Alan Speaks Out

Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen
One of the flagbearer hopefuls of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, has brushed aside calls asking him to back out of the party’s presidential primary scheduled for October 18, 2014.

Mr Kyerematen, who had 8.01per cent in the NPP’s last Sunday Special Delegates’ Congress, has insisted in a statement issued yesterday that he would be a candidate when the party goes to congress on October 18 to elect a standard bearer for the 2016 general elections.

The former Minister of Trade and Industry in the Kufuor administration, broke his silence saying, ‘I have a clear indication that the NPP fraternity believes I am capable of leading our party to victory in the 2016 elections,’ with a promise to the rank and file of the party that he would do all within his power, ‘and by the Grace of the Almighty God, not to let them down.’

Alan came second in last Sunday’s Special Delegates’ Congress to shortlist the number of contestants from seven to five, with 59 out of the737 total votes cast, representing 8.28%, with two-time standard-bearer, Nana Akufo-Addo, cruising home with 599 votes, representing 81.81%.

The rest, Francis Addai-Nimoh and Joe Ghartey, tied with 21 votes each, representing 2.85%, while Kofi Osei-Ameyaw picked the last slot with 14 votes, representing 1.90%. Stephen Asamoah-Boateng, popularly known as Asabee, and Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku crashed out of the race with 13 votes, representing 1.76% and 10 votes, representing 1.36% respectively.

Joe Ghartey has since stepped down graciously from the race, leaving the four, including Nana Akufo-Addo, Alan Kyerematen, Osei-Ameyaw and Addai-Nimoh to slug it out come October 18.

But Kofi Osei-Ameyaw has also said he would seek God’s guidance in determining whether or not to partake in the actual delegates’ congress.

‘I will not rule out anything. But let me assure my supporters that I will make my final decision known to them when my mind is made up,’ he was quoted as saying during an interview with the state-owned Daily Graphic newspaper.

He earlier indicated in a statement, pointing out his readiness to contest the October 18 expanded congress that has over 140,000 delegates across the country.

Addai-Nimoh says he is also consulting in view of his poor showing.

Pact
However, DAILY GUIDE has learnt that two candidates may throw their weights behind Mr Kyerematen in keeping with pre-special congress pact among five aspirants that the other candidate (between the two) would back down and support anyone of them who had more votes in their group to face Nana Akufo-Addo squarely.

With the abysmal performance of the two in the Sunday congress, DAILY GUIDE cannot confirm whether the agreement is relevant.

While some have said that all four should be made to go for the main congress to strengthen internal democracy and for each one of the aspirants to know what has come to be known and accepted as their ‘smoothness level’, others have also stressed the need for the rest to concede defeat to Akufo-Addo, in view of the wide margin of the votes he secured in last Sunday’s Special Delegates’ Congress.

Going forward, Alan Kyerematen said, ‘The surest way for our party to win power is to foster genuine unity and peace within the party.’ He has therefore reaffirmed his resolve to provide leadership that would provide the drive for a strong, united and peaceful party for victory in 2016.

‘As we enter the next stage of the process that will lead to the final selection of one presidential candidate, I ask all our party faithful for their continued and unflinching support, as we march for victory in 2016’, he stated.

Hope 2016
Ahead of Mr Kyerematen’s statement, an amorphous group calling itself Concerned Polling Station Executives, has impressed on him not to step down, saying that he is the hope of the NPP for 2016.

‘On Sunday, 31st August 2014, the Super Delegates’ Congress successfully selected five persons, who are ready to lead our dear party into the 2016 elections. We are grateful to the elite of our party and urge members of our dear party to see this phase as just a vetting process for the October 18 Congress.

‘It is interesting to note that several arguments from some so-called party bigwigs have suggested that Alan and some others must step down for Nana Addo to go unopposed because the college gave him a certain 81%. We find this argument untenable, which defeats the spirit of our expanded electoral college’, the group said at a hurriedly organised press conference in Kumasi on Tuesday.

The Alan boys, who were in T-shirts embossed with Alan’s portrait, wondered how a few people can select a presidential candidate for the party.

‘How can 0.56% of the constitutionally mandated body impose on us a candidate? We shall resist any clandestine attempt to disenfranchise we the over 99% kingmakers of our party,’ the group threatened.

They claimed that there was intimidation at the Sunday congress leading to Alan’s abysmal performance and that basic electoral guidelines were grossly flouted.

‘We are by this statement cautioning Mr Alan Kyerematen not to step down from the October 18 congress after successfully securing the second position. We believe he represents the hope of the NPP after two-failed attempts to win elections in Ghana. ‘Ghanaians will be heavily disappointed if Alan Kyerematen does not lead the NPP into the 2016 elections,’ the phantom group said.

By Charles Takyi-Boadu

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