Politics of Wednesday, 27 September 2023
Source: www.ghanaweb.live
2023-09-27Alan’s ‘NPP hijacked by unscrupulous party apparatchiks’ claim false – Justin Kodua
NPP flag | File photo
The General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Justin Frimpong Kodua, has rejected Alan Kyerematen’s assertion that the party is hijacked by dishonest people.
Justin Frimpong Kodua explained that every decision the NPP has ever taken are done with party stakeholders and not only by
Read full articlea selected few.
With this, Justin Kodua referenced how the NPP in 2010 expanded its electoral college to give voting rights to some 1920 delegates of the party.
“The leadership of the party equally disagrees with the assertion made by Mr. Kyerematen in page 8 of his resignation address that the party has been hijacked by selected group of party leaders and government appointees behind the curtain power brokers. Guided by the facts and data, the leadership of the party disagree entirely with this assertion.
"Historically, the selection of flagbearers for political parties in Ghana had been the preserve of a privileged few until the New Patriotic Party took the bold decision to decentralise the process by expanding its electoral college to enfranchise some 1920 delegates in 2010.
“Currently, about 2000 delegates will be voting to select the party’s next flagbearer relative to the estimated 1998 who did same in 1992. Clearly the quantum leap 2000 delegates in 2023 underscores the decentralisation of power to all party stakeholders and defeats the assertion that the party has been hijacked by a privileged few,” he said.
The NPP leadership, during a press conference to respond to Alan’s resignation, also touched on his claim of intimidation against his supporters in the NPP by party leaders.
The NPP shared that there was no grudge against Alan’s supporters by any member of the party.
“In reference to Mr. Kyerematen’s concerns which include the allegation of intimidation against his supporters, it is not worthy that certain government appointees including cabinet ministers who openly disclosed their support for him are still at post and have never been intimidated,” Justin added.
Alan Kyerematen, a former Minister of Trade and Industry, who came in third place during the New Patriotic Party's Super Delegates Conference, recently severed ties with the party to pursue an independent presidential candidacy.
Speaking at a press conference in Accra, on Monday, September 25, 2023, Alan Kyerematen announced his decision to leave the NPP and also contest as an independent candidate in the 2024 presidential elections.
He said that even though it was his wish to become president of Ghana on the ticket of the NPP, the party has now been hijacked by ‘unscrupulous party apparatchiks’.
“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.
“... I wish to use this platform to announce that I am honourably resigning from the New Patriotic Party to contest for the high office of the President of the Republic of Ghana in the 2024 general elections as an independent presidential candidate,” he said.
Alan added that his presidential ambition would be run by a movement led by the youth.
“To actualise this goal, I will establish and lead a new MOVEMENT FOR CHANGE in Ghana. The brand logo for the MOVEMENT is the Monarch Butterfly, which politically symbolizes change and transformation, hope, and positivity. It also communicates strength, endurance, spirituality, and trust, which are key traits that I cherish as a Political Leader. In Akan, it is known as Afrafranto. The brand motto of the MOVEMENT is “Ghana Will Rise Again,” which symbolizes hope for the future of Ghana.
“The new Movement will be led and powered by the youth of Ghana. Out of the over 17 million registered voters in the 2020 general election, the youth aged 18-35, years constituted over 9.4 million voters representing 55% of the total voters,” he said.
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