Members of the Alan Kyerematen campaign team in the Northern Region have declared their support for Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia ahead of the New Patriotic Party’s [NPP] National Delegates Conference in November.

This follows Mr Kyerematen's public declaration to contest the 2024 general elections as an independent presidential candidate on Monday, September 25, after his official resignation from the NPP.

However, during a press conference in Tamale on Tuesday, an administrator of the Alan campaign team in the region, Chabite Moses Moye noted his surprise at Mr Kyerematen’s decision to quit the NPP.

Mr Moye emphasised that for Mr Kyerematen to sever ties with the NPP also meant that he severed ties with his supporters in the region since the campaign team's support for him was tied to his affiliation with the party.

• Read Also: Alan Kyerematen quits NPP to run as independent presidential candidate

He thereby stated that following Mr Kyerematen’s resignation from the party, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia now stands as the best candidate to lead the NPP into the 2024 election, thereby justifying their support for him.

Mr Moye said, “All signs show that the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia who is also contesting will win. We have to work for the party. We will surely work with him and make sure that he gets the nod and continue to work for NPP to win power in 2024.”

He further criticised Mr. Kyerematen’s decision to leave the party, describing it as a “betrayal of his loyal supporters.”

“We are concerned, former supporters of Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen’s presidential candidacy of NPP are here today to express our profound disappointment with Mr Kyerematen. We as individuals have steadfastly believed in Alan within our party. We have diligently supported his campaign and believe in his potential to lead NPP.

• Also: NPP to expel any member who declares support for Alan Kyerematen

“However, Alan chose to withdraw from the race without prior notice, citing isolated incidents of violence after our Special Delegates’ Conference. This decision has inflicted unnecessary hardship on us because we firmly believe that the grassroots was firmly behind him. We were shocked and dismayed when he withdrew from the November presidential election.

“We can only describe this action as cowardly, and a betrayal of his loyal supporters. Today, we think of the party first, our support for him was rooted in NPP and not as an individual. We were shocked by his resignation from NPP and some of us were disappointed.”

To this end, Mr Moye affirmed the group’s unwavering support and loyalty to the NPP emphasising, “We will not betray our party, we remain NPP.”

Mr Kyerematen on Monday, declared his resignation from the NPP and his intention to contest as an independent presidential candidate for the 2024 general elections.

Following his announcement, the NPP during a press conference on Tuesday also accepted Mr Kyerematen’s decision.

However, the party’s Organiser Henry Nana Boakye in an interview on JoyFM, also said the NPP would expel any member who declares support for the now-independent Alan Kyerematen.