-As party supporters relate contest with Alan as a repeat of Liman/Victor Owusu contest
The incumbent flagbearer of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, may be reveling in his popularity in the party, but party pundits are warning that his contest against his main opponent, John Alan Kwadwo Kyeremanteng may be a reminiscence of the contest between Dr. Hilla Liman and famous NPP patriarch, Victor Owusu in 1979.
The party was shocked by the victory of Dr. Hilla Liman over the extremely famous Victor Owusu. Victor Owusu is a founding father of the NPP and has acquired vast political experience under his belt. He was a Member of Parliament in the 1969 parliament, a decade before the 1979 election.
He, just like Nana Akufo-Addo, was the most popular politician at the time, and all political watchers predicted a landslide victory for him in the polls given his popularity level and also that of his main contestant.
Dr. Hilla Liman of the PNP was a novice in Ghanaian politics. Dr. Limann was a career diplomat until Imoro Igala, Liman's uncle, suggested he should be chosen as the then People Nationa Party (PNP) flagbearer. PNP is the predecessor party of the NPP.
According to one NPP analyst, Albert Opare, Liman was able to beat the highly tipped Victor Owusu because Victor Owusu, just like Akufo-Addo, could not unite the Danquah Busia front. Also, the PNP fielded young candidates at the parliamentary level and also a relatively young presidential candidate in Dr. Liman.
While Alan Kyeremanteng is barely 60 years old, Akufo-Addo is fast becoming an octogenarian at 75. His critics have said his age will work against him, going into the October 18 national delegates congress of the NPP to select its flagbearer.
Akufo-Addo has contested the position twice and has gone on to lose at the Presidential election to the candidates of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC).
“ The cliche was that since most of these candidates and Liman were relatively young and had not been in Politics for long, and thus, their opponents had little on them to use against them. This ensured that they took the campaign to their opponents. This can be contrasted with Nana Akufo-Addo who has been in politics for over three decades and as such the NDC has a lot of DIRT on him and can slaughter him in any election he contests,” Mr. Opare noted.
NPP party members rooting for an Alan Kyeremanteng flagbearer argue that he does not have the type of political baggage that Nana Akufo-Addo and Victor Owusu had. They also claim he is relatively young and possess the energy to campaign vigorously for the NPP to return to power.
“Alan also appeals more to non-core NPP supporters which would be vital to secure victory for the NPP in 2016. Alan is not seen as being too partisan like Nana Addo, who is viewed as a man who will play politics with the presidency,” Mr. Opare, a critic of Akufo-Addo stated.
