The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, widely recognized as Chairman Wontumi, has expressed strong criticism towards Alan Kyerematen, a former NPP presidential aspirant, for his decision to leave the party and contest the 2024 elections as an independent candidate.
During an interview conducted on Wontumi TV on Monday, September 25, 2023, Chairman Wontumi openly expressed his disapproval of Alan’s choice.
He portrayed Alan as ungrateful, especially in light of the considerable support and opportunities that the NPP had extended to him. Furthermore, he suggested that Alan’s departure from the NPP could potentially result in adverse consequences for him.
“…President Kufour made you an ambassador and you were so happy. You (Alan), your girlfriends, your wife and your children enjoyed it so much. You sent them to good schools. President Kufuor also made you trade minister and because of this, you became so rich that you were nick-named Alan Cash.
“…You have enjoyed in the past because of the NPP. As for me, I think this resignation is a curse to him because the NPP has helped him. Look at how the party has helped you. If everyone in the NPP got what you have gotten from the party, none of them would complain of being mistreated,” he said in the Twi dialect.
On September 25, 2023, Mr. Kyerematen made a significant announcement regarding his political affiliation. He formally declared his resignation from the party during a press conference held at the Movenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra.
In his statement, he expressed his disillusionment with the NPP, asserting that the party had treated him and his supporters unfairly. He contended that the NPP’s current goals and agenda no longer align with the original vision of the party’s founding fathers.
As a result of these sentiments, the former Trade Minister revealed his intention to run for the presidency as an independent candidate in the upcoming 2024 election, representing his newly established party, the Movement for Change.
It’s worth noting that Mr. Kyerematen had initially been a contender for the NPP’s flagbearer position. However, on September 5, he withdrew from the race, citing reasons such as electoral irregularities, unfair treatment, and bias during the super delegates’ conference held on August 26, 2023.
This isn’t the first time Mr. Kyerematen has parted ways with the NPP. He previously resigned from the party in 2008 following alleged attacks on his supporters after the NPP conducted its 2007 presidential primaries.
Throughout his political career, Mr. Kyerematen has been an active member of the NPP, having been associated with the party since its inception in 1992. He played a pivotal role in establishing the Young Executives Forum (YEF), a group of young and dynamic business executives and professionals that provided significant financial support to the party. This support included the seed fund for the acquisition of the NPP’s first national headquarters building.
Meanwhile, former Ashanti Regional Minister, Samson Kwaku Boafo, has publicly endorsed Mr. Kyerematen in his presidential bid, lending his support to his aspirations for the highest office in the country.