Is Kwesi Nyantakyi a campaign manager for Kennedy Agyapong?

The special affinity between former president of the Ghana Football Association, Kwesi Nyantakyi, and Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong was unknown to many until the Number 12 investigative documentary by the ace investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas.

In the aftermath of that landmark investigative piece, Kennedy Agyapong embarked on a campaign to in his words expose Anas for bringing down Kwesi Nyantakyi.

Since then, the two men have on some occasions been seen in the public space with the latest being Nyantakyi’s presence at the headquarters of the New Patriotic Party when Kennedy Agyapong went to file his nomination form in June 2023.

Kennedy Agyapong, in his bid to become the flagbearer of the NPP in 2024 has been criss-crossing the country to campaign but not much is known about his campaign team.

It has however come to light albeit allegedly that Kwesi Nyantakyi is one of Kennedy Agyapong’s two campaign managers.

Dr Samuel Ayeh, a member of the communications team of the National Democratic Congress has disclosed that Kwesi Nyantakyi is a key figure in Kennedy Agyapong’s campaign team.

Alongside Kwesi Nyantakyi is the former Director-General of the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA), Kwame Owusu who is also a campaign manager for Kennedy Agyapong.

According to Sam Ayeh, the presence of these two officials who have been embroiled in corruption allegations in the past cast doubts on Kennedy Agyapong’s supposed anti-corruption credentials.

He argues that if Kennedy Agyapong was against corruption as he touts himself to be, he would not be in bed with Nyantakyi and Kwame Owusu.

“There is an artifice raised around Kennedy Agyapong that he is incorruptible and a no-nonsense person. Kennedy has two main campaign managers - Mr Kwame Owusu and Mr Kwesi Nyantakyi. Mr Kwame Owusu is the former maritime MD who was engaged in that open disrespectful dissipation of the public purse. He’s the one who bought fourteen air conditioners in a two-bedroom house.

Kwesi Nyantakyi was caught on TV taking bribes. Show me your friend and I will show you, your character. If Kennedy can co-exist peacefully with these two people, he cannot claim incorruptibility. Kennedy is no different from the president and Bawumia. For me, he’s even worse,” he said.

While Nyantakyi has remained mainly in the background, Kwame Owusu has been very vocal in the campaign team.

In most statements and press releases from the Kennedy Agyapong campaign team, his name comes up as the campaign manager.

Kennedy Agyapong is seeking to upset Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia for the NPP's flagbearer's slot for the 2024 elections. The much-anticipated showdown between the two is scheduled for November 4, 2023.

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