Alan Kyerematen, a leading contender in the New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearership race announced his formal withdrawal from the race as it headed into the November 4 final round.
His announcement was made via a September 5, 2023 statement issued hours after an earlier press conference had been cancelled.
The diplomat and former trade minister's statement of 10 paragraphs stated major reasons for his decision - from an unfair electoral system through to violence during the last vote and lack of trust in party leadership.
GhanaWeb gleaned the major reasons and will present them in Alan's own words - seeing that the statement was personally signed by the former flagbearer aspirant.
August 26 vote was skewed to favour unnamed candidate
Alan placed third in the August 26 Super Delegates Conference coming behind Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia and Assin North Member of Parliament, Kennedy Agyapong.
The relevant parapgraph in the statement read: "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," it stressed.
Violence during August 26 vote
One of the most egregious incidents from the August 26 process was the bloody assault on an agent of Kyerematen in the North East Region.
He dedicated the most loaded paragraph to that issue: "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.
"I am committed to, and value the safety of those who work with me and for me, and I will always fight for their interest."
Process still skewed ahead of November 4
Today (September 6) is slated for final balloting for the five - now four - aspirants ahead of November 4. But it is Alan's considered view that the procedural challenges and lack of trust has not and will likely not be fixed by the time of the vote.
"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, 6th of September 2023."
On Sunday, the 27th of August 2023, I issued a public statement which made reference to the selection and shortlisting of Presidential Aspirants by the Special Electoral College convened by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) on the 26th of August 2023.
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.
I am committed to, and value the safety of those who work with me and for me, and I will always fight for their interest.
The question I keep asking myself is, “How did we get here as a Party in the first place, and how far are we prepared to tread on this dangerous path to self-destruction?”
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, 6th 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 4% 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.
I wish all the other Aspirants well as they continue on their journey. I also wish to use this opportunity to express my profound gratitude once again to my family, the Alan 4 President (A4P) Campaign Team, and all my teeming supporters in Ghana and from around the world, who have supported me in diverse ways over the years. Please be assured that the battle is still the Lord’s, and that those who wait upon the Lord shall have their strength renewed.
God bless our homeland Ghana and make our nation great and strong!
HON. ALAN KYEREMATEN
SARA
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