The Deputy General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Haruna Mohammed, says the party refutes some reasons Alan Kyerematen made for withdrawing from the flagbearership race.

According to Mr Mohammed, some claims in the former Trades Minister's withdrawal press statement were inaccurate and a misrepresentation of the actual incidents that occurred during the Super Delegates Congress.

Addressing one of the allegations, he stressed on JoyNews’ Newsfile, “You read a portion where he [Alan Kyeremateng] said that there were very serious violations of the rules, regulations, and guidelines for the conduct of the elections in almost all the centres.

"When somebody says in almost all the centres, it means that it's giving you close after 90% of the centres.

“We had 17 centres for the elections. Those centres that didn't happen, as you alluded to the facts, were some few places, let's say about three places. And if you calculate the percentage that's about 17% of the center.

“So for you to say in almost all the voting centres, it is inappropriate. And this cannot be a true representation of the outcome of the elections for the super delegate conference.”

The Deputy General Secretary further debunked the claims of the election being ‘skewed,’ emphasising that every Aspirant is aware that the Constitution of the party predetermines that if more than five aspirants contest for the flagbearership race, the party needs to conduct a Super Delegates election to sift out the final five aspirants.

He insisted Mr Kyeremateng’s claim did not hold water stating, “The party wouldn't have even in the first place opened up a nomination for everybody since the party knew that we are going to skew something for one particular candidate.”

Mr Mohammed also revealed that there were differences between the letter Mr Kyerematen sent to the party and the press statement that was issued in the media.

He explained, “Portions of the letter that he wrote to us and some portions of the press statement that he put out, not everything was put to the party. We disagree with portions.”

Additionally, Mr Mohammed emphasised that both Mr Kyerematen and his agents were actively involved in processes undertaken by the election committee in regard to the Super Delegates elections.

He also revealed that the party availed various opportunities for all aspirants to file their complaints in relation to the elections for them to be rightfully addressed.

Mr Mohammed stated that the party is surprised and also regrets Mr Kyeremateng decided to bow out of the race rather than utilise the platforms that were availed to him.

“I think that every opportunity has been given him, but he decides to withdraw and cites them and put them out there in the media,” he stated.

Background

On Tuesday, September 5, Mr Alan Kyeremateng released a press statement indicating that he was officially withdrawing from the NPP flagbearership race.

He cited issues of the Special Electoral College convened by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) on the 26^th of August 2023 being “strategically and tactically skewed in favour of one particular Aspirant,” among other reasons as justifications for his withdrawal.

Mr Kyeremateng is the second aspirant to opt out of the flagbearership race following flagbearer aspirant Boakye Agyarko, who also opted out of the run-off election scheduled for Saturday, September 2, 2023, between himself and fellow flagbearer hopeful Francis Addai-Nimoh.

Currently, the contestants running for the flagbearership race include Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, MP for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong, former Minister of Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, and former Mampong MP, Francis Addai Nimo.