Pollster Ben Ephson has stated that the decision by New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer hopeful, Alan Kyerematen to withdraw from the party’s flagbearer race is one that is informed by some sense of entitlement.
According to Ben Ephson, Mr Kyerematen who peaked in Ghanaian politics some 15 years ago has failed to appreciate the depreciation in his popularity and has rather resorted to other reasons to back his decision.
“He is my good friend but in politics if you are analysing you put friendship aside. I think that sense of entitlement has not left Alan.
"Yes, you raised issues about his people being maltreated, everybody would have been watching on November 4, to see if these things repeat themselves.
"The solution is not not contesting and leaving to contest as an independent presidential candidate,” he told host Bridget Otoo on the Tuesday, September 5, 2023 edition of News Night on Metro TV.
Alan Kyerematen in the evening of Tuesday, September 5, 2023, announced via a press release his decision to withdraw from the NPP flagbearer race.
He cited instances of threats, intimidation and assault on his agents in the party’s recently held special delegates congress and accused the party’s leadership of skewing the process in favour of another candidate while emphasising their inaction on the issues of concern.
“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.
“The level of intimidation of varying intensity, directly and indirectly unleashed on a significant number of Delegates at various Voting Centers across the sixteen regions, is unprecedented in the history of our Party. In addition, the fact that my Polling Agent in the North East region has suffered severe damage to his eye sight, arising from his bold and courageous effort to ensure compliance with the very rules and regulations for the conduct of the elections as approved by the Presidential Elections Committee, will forever remain a dark spot in the history of internal elections within the Party. This incident and various acts of violence and collusion, reported in other Voting Centers, are appalling, unconscionable, and despicable,” he lamented.
Noting his commitment to the safety of his agents and supporters, Mr Kyerematen who said he believes the event of August 26 will likely repeat itself come November 4, when the party holds a final delegates congress to elect a flagbearer said he has decided to withdraw from the race.
“Regrettably, I am not convinced that the circumstances I have referred to earlier, will not persist or even be escalated in the next round of elections, for which balloting is scheduled for Wednesday, 6 of September 2023.
“In light of the foregoing, I wish to confirm that I am honourably withdrawing from the process that will lead to the Presidential Primaries to be held on the 4th of November 2023, In the next upcoming weeks, I will provide an indication of the role that I will play in politics in Ghana, after consultations with my family and other well. wishers, various stakeholders and interest groups,” he stated.
But according to Ben Ephson, Alan Kyerematen has rather taken the easy way out as his decision to withdraw from the contest does not resolve his concerns.
“Does your resignation or does saying that you will not contest, does that solve it? I mean definitely even Kennedy Agyapong’s outburst yes, everybody agrees, I remember my good friend Richard Nyamah (Alan campaign team member) saying that in the aftermath of the super delegates congress the Alan campaign team will go into November 4 better prepared.
"So, he has made issues, publicity has been given and I am sure everybody realises that there were unfair practices,” he noted.
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Pollster Ben Ephson
