If I could go back, I wouldn’t have given up my presidential position for Akufo-Addo – Alan

The leader of the Alliance for Revolutionary Change (ARC), Alan Kyerematen, has expressed regret for allowing President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to be the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) during the party’s presidential primaries in 2008.

He indicated that he agreed to let Akufo-Addo be the flagbearer of the NPP for peace and tranquility to prevail in the party after the primaries results were tied.

The leader of the ARC noted that his supporters were not in agreement with the decision but he did not allow them to influence him. He [Alan] also added that God had spoken to him not to compete with Akufo-Addo in the run-off election.

However, Alan has said that he regrets making such a decision.

Speaking in an interview with Onua FM and monitored by GhanaWeb, the host of the show asked, “If you had the opportunity, would you have made the sacrifice you made for Akufo-Addo in 2008 again?"

Alan responded: “I wouldn’t have made that sacrifice again because, at that time, I considered a lot of things. I believed that I was stronger than him by that time. Due to the tension in the party at that moment and the fact that he is older than me, I allowed him to go.

“Most of my supporters weren’t happy with the decision because of the efforts and the investments I made, but I didn’t care. Even apart from that, it was divine guidance where God spoke to me to allow him [Akufo-Addo] to go.”

Alan resigned as a member of the NPP following his defeat in the party’s 2024 presidential primaries.

The Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, emerged as the winner, beating Kennedy Agyapong and other candidates.

SB/AE