Political Marketing Strategist with the University of Ghana Business School, Prof. Kobby Mensah, has weighed in on the recent decision by former Trade Minister Alan Kyerematen to withdraw from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Primaries slated for November 4.
Alan Kyerematen who came third in the party’s August 26 special delegates conference stated among others that he was withdrawing from the contest due to the intimidation of his agents. He added that the Special Delegates Conference was strategically and tactically skewed in favour of one particular aspirant
Speaking to Kweku Temeng on GHOne’s News Tonight on Tuesday, September 05, 2023, Prof. Mensah expressed concerns about the NPP’s apparent departure from its long-standing emphasis on a collective leadership model. He recalled the days of former President John Agyekum Kufuor when the party championed the idea that “we have the men,” highlighting the NPP’s historical commitment to a collective approach.
“This move by Alan Kyerematen serves as an indictment on the NPP’s internal processes, especially for a party that has historically prided itself on its collective ethos,” noted Prof. Mensah. “Former President Kufuor consistently referred to the party’s collective nature. Unfortunately, it appears that the party is gradually shifting towards a more personality-centered approach.”
Prof. Mensah drew attention to Alan Kyerematen’s withdrawal statement, which references the NPP’s internal structures allegedly favoring a specific candidate in the race. According to him, he had anticipated that the party would address concerns raised by Alan’s campaign team.
“So for me I think that it is not absolutely foreseen, I did not anticipate this coming. Of course, the campaign team had a lot of concerns which I thought the party was going to deal with especially when they set up a committee to deal with the aftermath of the super delegate elections. Clearly, they were not interested in anything other than Kennedy Agyapong’s outburst against the President and the Vice-President which was a shame”
The political marketing strategist also highlighted Alan Kyerematen’s consistent stance against what he perceives as intimidation and unfair treatment of his supporters within the NPP. Prof. Mensah noted that Alan has been a vocal advocate for the equitable treatment of his backers and has consistently voiced concerns regarding the treatment of his supporters during party delegate elections.
“Alan Kyerematen’s decision to withdraw represents a principled stance,” emphasized Prof. Mensah. “He has consistently spoken out against perceived mistreatment of his supporters within the party, and this withdrawal underscores his commitment to defending what he believes is right.”