NLA Director General, Sammi Awuku has waded into discussions regarding Alan Kyerematen's resignation from the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
On September 25, 2023, the former Trade Minister and NPP presidential hopeful, Alan Kyerematen said he is "honourably resigning with immediate effect from the NPP to contest for the high office of the President of the Republic of Ghana as an independent presidential candidate".
"...the NPP as it exists now has very little resemblance to the Party that I joined in 1992 and helped to nurture. The Party has been hijacked by a selected group of Party leaders and elders, government appointees, 'behind the curtain power brokers” and some unscrupulous Party apparatchiks", he also slammed his former party.
Prior to the annoucement, Alan had accused the NPP of trivializing some concerns he shared before, during and after its Special Delegates Congress.
"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", he said, adding "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".
"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", he then withdrew from the NPP November 4th flagbearer election before his final decision to exit the party.
Speaking to Kwami Sefa Kayi in an interview on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" morning show, Sammi Awuku dissented to Alan's claims which undergirds his resignation from the NPP.
Mr. Awuku noted that Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia won the super delegates election on merit and not that his victory was orchestrated by some sort of cabal within the NPP.
"Personally, he's visiting constituency by constituency. Out of the 205,000 delegates, he has currently interacted with not less than 160000 of these delegates...Before the super delegates, he had engaged with 128,000 delegates out of the 205,000. He combines that too effectively with his official duties. There are times he will come from his campaign trail to do his official duties, then he moves back to the field," Sammi Awuku testified of Dr. Bawumia's hard work.
He, however, appreciated Alan's decision saying "we disagree with the reasons given but it is also important that you also respect the Hon. Kyerematen's decision".
Mr. Awuku also charged his colleagues in the NPP who are "not be happy with his (Alan) decision" to "respect it", stressing Alan "is not a child".
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