ALAN KYEREMATEN, a leading contender in the New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential race, stormed Kumasi, the Ashanti Regional capital yesterday as part of his campaign tour of the region. Almost all activities in the boisterous city came to a standstill when Mr. Kyerematen and his campaign team made an entry into the Garden City on Friday morning. Mr. Keyerematen, who had completed his campaign tour of the Greater Accra Region, was in Kumasi to canvass for support for his ambition of leading the NPP to victory in the 2012 polls. The former Minister for Trade, Industry and Presidents Special Initiative (PSI), who formally began his Ashanti Regional tour at Konongo on Thursday, is expected to stay in Kumasi for some days and tour all the ten constituencies in the city. Hundreds of elated-looking residents, including women and children from the entire political divide who had got wind of his visit, were seen lined up on the streets as early as 6:00am anxiously waiting to catch a glimpse of the presidential aspirant. Mr. Kyerematen’s convoy arrived in the Garden City around 8:00am to a rapturous welcome by the blissful-looking residents. The Kumasi residents particularly went wild and screamed at the top of their voices following the extraordinary motor-riding skills that were displayed by about fifty motor riders that heralded Mr. Kyerematen’s entry into the city. Wearing a pair of black trousers with an ‘Africa wear’ top to match, Mr. Kyerematen was seen gallantly seated alongside his close aide, Kwabena Agyapong, in a black Land Cruiser vehicle. The joy of the crowd amplified beyond proportion when Mr. Kyerematen waved back at them in response to their chanting of his name and other accolades such as “Mr. Kyerematen is Ghana’s next president”. As custom demanded, the former Ghana Ambassador’s first port of call in the city was the Manhyia Palace, the seat of the Asantehene, where he officially introduced himself as a contender in the NPP presidential race to Otumfuo Osei Tutu II. After his brief meeting with the Asantehene, Mr. Kyerematen hit the ground running at the Asokwa constituency where he explained his vision to party stalwarts, mostly potential delegates. Prior to the meeting, Mr. Kyerematen, who is a darling in Kumasi and its immediate surroundings, had stormed the Atonsu Market where he was mobbed by joyous-looking traders. Mr. Kyerematen, from Asokwa, visited the Central Mosque where he worshiped with the Muslim fraternity, after which he rounded up the day’s activities with a similar meeting with NPP members in the Subin Constituency. Source: Daily Guide