Ministers Ready To Declare Support For Alan
Report picked by The Anchor suggests a huge number of President Akufo-Addo’s appointees, mainly ministers, are waiting to declare their support for the presidential bid of the Trade and Industry Minister, John Alan Kwadwo Kyeremanten.
According to this paper’s information, many of the ministers are quietly rooting for Mr.Kyeremanten and supporting his bid, as the surest bet for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearershipto lead the party, but because of the position they occupy they are unable to come out publicly.
But the planned declaration, which is anticipated to take many by surprise, according to sources, would be made in the coming days, as soon as the party opens nominations for the flagbearer race.
Already, a leading member of the Alan Team, Hopeson Adorye, has confirmed the information, saying the move will take both the country and the NPP by storm, because of how attractive his boss has become, and endearing people to his side.
Speaking to veteran broadcaster, Adakabre Frimpong Manso, on ‘Me Man Nti’ show yesterday, November 21, on Accra-based Neat FM, monitored by The Anchor, Mr. Adorye, who is said to be the Director of Operations for the Alan Campaign, said the party bigwigs and ministers have assured them of their unflinching support.
The unnamed ministers, he told the host, have assured their Campaign Team they will boldly come out to give support to the experienced politician when the time comes.
“Let’s be patient and wait for the party to open nomination then we will see. The ministers we are speaking to, they said we should exercise restraint and that when nominations are opened, they will come out to support Alan,” he said.
He entreated all Alan supporters to remain resolute and exercise restraint until the time when nominations would be opened for the big contest.
The governing NPP will go to congress next year to elect a replacement for President Akufo-Addo, who will be ending his two terms in 2024.
Ahead of that election, many bigwigs of the party, including the Trade Minister and the Vice President, Dr.MahamuduBawumia, have expressed interest in the contest.
Even though the NPP is yet to open nominations, many supporters and team members are on the ground, canvassing for votes for their respective presidential hopefuls, a move that was frowned upon by the party last year, leading to the issuance of guidelines to bar such activities.
But despite the caution, many in the party have positioned themselves speaking for their preferred aspirants.
Over the weekend, a clash of some sort in the Ashanti Regional capital, Kumasi, apparently occurred between supporters of the two leading contenders, Alan Kyeremantenand Dr.Bawumia.
The incident, The Anchor gathered, occurred at the funeral grounds of Opanin Maxwell Kofi Kesse Darko, the father of broadcast journalist with the Multimedia Group,Omanhene Kwabena Asante.
The funeral was attended by many in the NPP, including Vice President Bawumia, Mr. Kyeremanten, popularly known as Alan Cash, and Mr. Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, Member of Parliament (MP) for the Assin Central constituency,who is another presidential hopeful.
This is not the first time supporters of the two leading presidential hopefuls have clashed in the region. Last year during the funeral of a former General Secretary of the party, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, popularly known as Sir John, a similar incident occurred.
Reacting to the recent incident, a former Deputy General Secretary of the NPP, Nana Obiri Boahen, who forfeited his own contest to become the substantive General Secretary to support Dr.Bawumia’s campaign, said the Alan team should forget about winning, especially the Ashanti Region.
The Bono Region- based lawyer is alleged to have said that the stronghold of the NPP has fallen for the Vice President in advance and remains a no go area for Alan.
But reacting to the declaration by Mr. Boahen on the same Neat FM, Mr. Adorye said the work is on the ground and that those speaking big will laugh at the wrong side of their mouth when the contest begins.
“Let those who are weeding with their mouths go on because when you go on that tangent you cannot hurt yourself,” he said, adding “the party people know what is good for them and at the right time, they will show it”.
He predicted that Dr.Bawumia, who some have tipped as the likely successor of his boss, the President, will place third after the contest comes to an end next year.
Meanwhile, reports say the euphoria around Mr. Kyerematen recorded another exciting moment over the weekend when he visited the Northern Region for the final funeral rites of HajiaFadilaTahidu, a known member of the “Alan for President Volunteers” movement.
Mr. Kyerematen, who stormed Tamale on Sunday, November 20, 2022, was stunned by the massive turnout that welcomed him on arrival and at the funeral ground.
Upon arrival at the funeral ground, Alan Cash was mobbed by the masses with chants for his political endorsement.
Among the chants from the teeming fan base were “No Alan No Vote,” “AlanCashAduruso” and “AlanCash the People’s Choice” at the home ground of his most likely direct competitor, Dr. MahamuduBawumia.
Alan Kyerematen was accompanied by some prominent members of NPP, as well as some former and current Members of Parliament, including Hon. Alhaji Abubakar Saddique Boniface, Hon.GiftyKlenam, Sylvester Tetteh, Mr. Kofi Capito, Ridwan Abbass, CEO of Ghana Heavy Equipment Limited and Former MP for Sissala East, Alhaji Kamil, former Greater Accra Regional Nasara Coordinator, Dr. Alhassan Samari, Board Chairman of GNPA Limited and Former Upper East Regional Minister, Yaw Buabeng Asamoah.
Others were Immediate Past Director of Communications, NPP, Alhaji Haruna Warlord, HopesonYaoviAdorye, a former Parliamentary Candidate for the KpongKatamanso Constituency and a well-known member of the NPP communications team and a host of others.
Alan Kyerematen and his delegation were received by distinguished senior members of the NPP in the Northern Region, led by Alhaji Hindu, former Northern Regional Organizer of the New Patriotic Party and Northern Campaign Coordinator for the Alan for President Volunteers Movement, and Alhaji Raman Mumin COP, Business Executive and NPP youth activist.
The bereaved Tahidu family is a known prominent family in the New Patriotic Party (NPP) fraternity in the Northern Region of Ghana.
There is a very cordial and longstanding relationship between the Tahidu family and the Hon. Minister for Trade and Industry, Alan Kyerematen.
The late HajiaFadilaTahidu was called to her maker on November 11, 2022, after a short illness.
Mr. Kyerematen took to his Facebook page to commiserate with the bereaved family:
“My wife, Patricia and I have received with devastation and utter shock the untimely death of a hard-working, promising and loyal patriot, FadilaTahidu. Fadila, who was like a daughter to me, passed on to glory on Friday at the Ridge Hospital in Accra, where earlier in the day l had visited to commiserate with the family. Fadila’s demise is indeed heartbreaking to my family and the New Patriotic Party. She was a loving “daughter” whose life has been cut short in her prime. In this time of sadness, I pray that Allah grants us the patience to bear this difficult loss.
Our heartiest sympathy to her father, my very good friend, Alhaji Tahiru, and the entire family. May Allah give Fadila an easy and pleasant journey and shower blessings on her grave.”
Source: Anchorghana
