Ken Agyapong 'not knowledgeable enough to be president' – Amakye Boateng

Political analyst Dr Kwesi Amakye Boateng has said Assin Central MP Kennedy Agyapong is not brilliant and knowledgeable enough to be president.

Mr Agyapong placed second in the New Patriotic Party’s special delegates conference.

Following the withdrawal of third-placed aspirant Alan Kyerematen from the race, Dr Amakye Boateng told Valentina Ofori-Afriyie on Class91.3FM's mid-day news 12 Live on Wednesday, 6 September 2023 that should the former Trades Minister join forces with Mr Agyapong, as being proposed by some pundits, such union would amount to nothing.

"Is he [Alan Kyerematen] going to play second fiddle to Kennedy Agyapong or what?", he wondered, quizzing: "He joins Kennedy Agyapong and Ken allows Alan to lead?"

"Let's take some of these things seriously", Dr Amakye Boateng noted.

According to him, "studies have demonstrated that poor countries need leaders who are knowledgeable".

"The people who come out to be presidents should, themselves, first and foremost be knowledgeable such that if whoever is around them as consultants, advisors, counsellors tell them anything, they would, themselves, be able to do the analyses and read through the lines before taking or rejecting it", he said.

"So, if Alan should join Ken, what's the meaning of that? What role is Alan going to play there?", stressing: "I don't expect that to happen".

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Dr Amakye Boateng insisted: "He [Kennedy Agyapong] is not going to win", pointing out: "I expect NPP to be a very rational team".

"There are two things that have to be taken into consideration; one, Ghana is in a terrible mix, economically, and the politics is also getting out of hand. So, you need someone who is very knowledgeable, who can go into things, take a deep dive into things, do critical analyses and come out with any little decision from this time [onwards] -- politically or economically -- I don't expect Kennedy Agyapong to be able to do that", he said.

Asked by Valentina if he thought Dr Bawimia fit the bill, Dr Amakye Boateng answered: "From all intents and purposes, Dr Bawumia is brilliant. You can't take that away from him".

"Maybe, as far as I'm concerned, he lacks what Plato calls 'practical wisdom' to translate his ideas into reality but if we have to choose between Kennedy Agyapong and Dr Bawumia, Ken is not going to win; one, in terms of brilliance, knowledge; and then two, if you play the money card, the establishment is stronger than Kennedy Agyapong".

In his view, "If it comes to using money to influence votes, if we should put it that way, bluntly, Kennedy Agyapong should not do better than the establishment", indicating: "I don't expect the party faithful to vote for Kennedy Agyapong. In fact, he would have done so well if he gets a third of the votes".