Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Citi 97.3 FM, Samuel Attah-Mensah, has shared his views on why former Trade Minister, Alan Kyerematen, has failed in his quest to become a flagbearer for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and subsequently, Ghana’s president.
After an abysmal performance at the NPP’s Super Delegates Conference, Mr Kyerematen withdrew from the presidential race.
He accused some leaders of the party for siding with one aspirant.
In his statement issued on September 5, he said: “After having carefully analysed the results of the said elections, it is absolutely clear to me from events leading to, during and after the elections, that the Special Delegates Conference was strategically and tactically skewed in favour of one particular Aspirant. The pronouncements made by some leading Members of our Party both before and after the elections, also lend weight to my observations.
But Samuel Attah-Mensah also known as Sammens, believes the factors that caused Mr Kyerematen’s defeat did not begin today.
During a discussion on the Citi Breakfast Show, Sammens noted that it was politically wrong for Mr Kyerematen to accept a ministerial position from President Akufo-Addo, who was once his contender for the NPP flagbearership role.
He explained that accepting such a position ensured that he submitted to President Akufo-Addo, who decided to pick, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia as his running mate.
Sammens further noted that it is expected that the president would throw his weight behind Dr Bawumia who stood by his side as his running mate for eight years.
“Nana Akufo-Addo would not against all odds propose a certain Dr Bawumia to be running mate against the stance of the party, work with him for seven years and not stand with him at a point like this. You have submitted yourself under the man,” he said.
In 2003, Alan Kyerematen was appointed as the Cabinet Minister with responsibility for Trade, Industry, and the President’s Special Initiatives (PSI).
In May 2017, President Nana Akufo-Addo named Alan Kyerematen as part of the nineteen ministers who would form his cabinet.
For Samuel Attah-Mensah another reason Mr Kyerematen has been unsuccessful is over his inability to take charge of the Trade Ministry and leave a long lasting legacy.
“Again, while he was Minister, he did not create any space for himself to access his leadership, take ownership of something that will help garner his base.
“Top of my head, I don’t know where Alan’s political base is, if there is they can point that to us.
It will be very difficult to say,” he noted.