Former Trades Minister Alan Kyerematen has expressed hopes of having Ghanaians in the Ashanti Region vote massively for him in the 2024 general elections.

Speaking on PM Express on JoyNews, the former New Patriotic Party flagbearer aspirant said that he believes he has the gifts and the know-how to lead the country as president.

Alan Kyerematen noted that although the Ashanti Region is important to the NPP in the general elections he looks forward to harnessing the popularity he has built in the region and others in the future.

“I believe that God has given me talents that I can offer in service to the people of Ghana at the highest level of executive authority and that's why I'm asking the people of Ghana to give me a chance to do that. I would have wished that maybe I would have used that same (NPP) vehicle, but there are different ways of getting to my destination,” he noted.

“The Ashanti Region has been the backbone of our party. It's our stronghold. So it's going to be important for the NPP as a party getting into the general election. As an independent candidate, my wish would be that the Ashanti Region will put their weight behind me. I've always been very popular in the Ashanti Region, in the Central Region and many parts of the country,” Mr Kyerematen added.

The former Minister resigned from the governing NPP on Monday, September 26.

The presidential aspirant who placed third during the party’s Super Delegates Congress will contest the 2024 election as an independent presidential candidate.

At a much-publicised press conference, he indicated that “my decision to contest as an Independent Candidate will not destroy the Party, but instead provide the Party an opportunity to participate in a Government of National Unity in the future, and avoid the risk of going into opposition with no dividends, in what arguably will be a difficult general election in 2024.”

Meanwhile, despite doubts on whether or not he will succeed, Mr Kyerematen expressed optimism about making a significant difference with floating voters in the 2024 election.

This, says is because this set of voters do not belong to any political party as they are independent.

According to him, the size of the floating voter which is about 25% is quite significant to make that difference.

“I will make a significant difference with floating voters. I am convinced that because of my disposition in politics, I am the type of candidate that the average floating voter has been waiting for. And if I am a candidate, particularly an independent candidate, then that is a major part of my constituency,” he stressed.