Professor of Political Science at the University of Ghana Ransford Yaw Gyampo says other flagbearer aspirants of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) may pull out of the race “if care is not taken”. According to him, the same reason of intimidation cited by one of the flagbearer aspirants, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, who withdrew from the race on Tuesday, September 5, appears to be suffered by other aspirants.
Prof Gyampo made this suggestion while speaking on TV3‘s Ghana Tonight on Tuesday, September 5. It comes after Mr Kyerematen, who came third in the Super Delegates’ Conference of Saturday, August 26, announced that he was not taking part in all processes leading to the November 4 Presidential Primary.
According to Mr Kyerematen, the Conference was “strategically and tactically skewed in favour of one particular aspirant”. “The pronouncements made by some leading members of our party both before and after the elections, also lend weight to my observations,” he also cited.
But some have described the move as expected after Mr Kyerematen, who was considered as a frontrunner placed third, behind Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and Assin Central Member of Parliament (MP) Kennedy Ohene Agyapong. Prof Gyampo descended heavily on those describing the decision as expected.
“If people are saying that this was to be expected, I mean, we should brace ourselves and shed arrogance and fashion out measures that would deal with the threats of people in the persona or pedigree of Alan moving out of such a race.
“If you say it is to be expected, then why did you fight the election in that manner? If you know that he was going to go out, why were you intimidating?
“If you say it is to be expected, are they also expecting other people, other contenders, other aspirants to also pull out of the November 4 race? If they are expecting other aspirants to also pull out, they should let us know.”
For him, this could escalate into other aspirants pulling out.
“But I am telling them that if care is not taken, before November 4, other contenders will also pull out.”
With Mr Kyerematen’s withdrawal, four aspirants – Dr Bawumia, Mr Agyapong, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto and Francis Addai-Nimoh – will vie for the slot to lead the ruling party into the 2024 elections.
