Some leading figures and supporters believed to be allies of the founder of the Movement for Change and former Minister of Trade and Industry, Alan Kyerematen, and the Member of Parliament for the Assin Central Constituency, Hon. Kennedy Agyapong have defected to the camp of the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
Announcing their defection on Sunday, 15th October 2023, at a press conference, the leader of the Alan Kyerematen group, Chairman Dauda Afriyie, who is the current First Vice Chairman of the New Patriotic Party for the Offinso South Constituency, explained that he and his followers view the Vice President as the best option at this particular point in time. Speaking of himself, Mr. Afriyie described himself as a seasoned politician who has served the party since the days of Prof Busia, and for that matter, is capable of making an independent decision without the influence of others.
“I have been an activist of the party since the days of Busia. With this kind of enormous experience and exposure, I can’t be dictated to by anyone to take any decision or position contrary to my own convictions and beliefs”, he said.
According to Mr Afriyie, he was a lead campaigner of the former Minister of Trade and Industry and has always been one of his lead campaigners since 2007. He went on to declare that once Mr. Kyerematen had resigned from the party, and is no longer in the race, he has decided to throw his support behind Dr. Bawumia in the face of numerous invitations from the Kennedy Agyapong camp to join their team.
“I was an ardent supporter of Hon. Alan Kyerematen and was even one of his lead campaigners. Now that he’s no longer in the race, I have taken my time to think through the available options and conclude that Dr Mahamudu Bawumia is the best person to lead the party”, he added.
In a related development, some supporters of Hon. Kennedy Agyapong who had also joined the Bawumia camp, openly declared their defection to the press.
Led by Abdul Aziz Ismail, popularly known as “Kennedy Ba”, a polling station organizer at Kwamang Methodist School in the Afigya Kwabre North Constituency, they extolled the good qualities of the Vice President. They acknowledged the fact that the leading and senior members of the NPP whom they look up to for direction, have already shown the way.
According to Mr. Ismail, this position taken by the senior members has been affirmed and vindicated by the unwarranted and unprovoked verbal attacks and abuse on MPs, Chairmen and other figures by Mr. Agyapong. Mr. Ismail says he is therefore convinced that these senior members know best, and could foretell the unifying figure that the party needs at this point.
“The fact that the Majority Leader who sits in parliament with the MPs, and our own father Hon. Kan Dapaah who is an experienced politician, support Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, it means there’s something unique in him, as a presidential material, not just a flagbearer”, he said.
“The unprovoked verbal attacks and threats have discouraged my people and me from supporting Ken Agyapong. We have, as a result, changed our decision to support him. Our membership goes across the country and we have all defected to support Dr. Bawumia”, he added.
The defected members assured the Bawumia team of their total commitment, determination and dedication in working hard to ensure that the Vice President wins both the presidential primary and the 2024 General Elections.
The New Patriotic Party will elect a presidential candidate on November 4. With the resignation of Mr. Alan Kyerematen, the party has four (4) aspirants to choose from with the Vice President tipped by pollsters and political pundits to win the bid.
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