Alan Kyerematen, the founder of the Movement for Change and an independent presidential candidate in the 2024 general election, has stated that neither the NDC’s John Dramani Mahama nor Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia can match his vision for the country in the upcoming 2024 elections.

While congratulating Vice President Bawumia on his nomination as the NPP’s flagbearer, Kyerematen stated that the result was generally anticipated. He noted that the electoral process looked to have been intentionally and tactically skewed in favour of a single candidate, as seen by the primary results.

“Whilst using this opportunity to congratulate His Excellency the Vice President on taking over the mantle of leadership in the NPP, his selection as flagbearer is not a surprise to any serious political watcher. It was the widely anticipated outcome of the elections. I had been saying all along that the electoral process had been strategically and tactically skewed in favour of a particular candidate. That is what we saw on Saturday,” Mr Kyerematen said in an interview with the Daily Ghanaian Guide.

Kyerematen also raised questions about the margin of victory, noting that the Vice President’s 60% vote share, although substantial, might indicate that he lacks complete control over the ruling NPP.

“Judging from the widely publicized expected margin of not less than 80% in favour of the Vice President, I am inclined to think that the 60% vote for him provides a clear indication that the Vice President does not have total control of his own Party. The election results must also be analysed against the background that the Vice President has been campaigning for the Flagbearership since 2020 and has been the beneficiary of both State and Party sponsored support.”

Regarding the common refrain of “Break the Eight” within the NPP, Kyerematen expressed his belief that this narrative did not align with the everyday concerns of the majority of Ghanaians, who grapple with economic challenges and unemployment. He opined that the NDC did not provide a credible alternative either.

Consequently, he advocated for a “Third Force” in Ghana’s politics and asserted that the newly established Movement for Change under his leadership is the beacon of hope for the nation.

“Well, the emerging chorus and narrative from the Party for ‘Unity’ to Break the Eight, has very little relevance to the loud public demand for change in the political leadership of our country, to respond to the critical challenges of our time. The call to Break the Eight does not reflect the everyday concerns of the majority of Ghanaians, about the ailing economy and the lack of jobs for the teeming youth of Ghana.

“So for me, the chances of NPP Breaking the Eight is very slim. In the same vein, however, the NDC does not provide a credible alternative. It is against this background, that the ever-increasing appetite of Ghanaians for a ‘Third Force’, must be considered as the only hope for Ghana to rise again. This is where the newly established Movement for Change under my leadership, becomes the saving grace for Ghana.”

According to Mussa Dankwah, Executive Director of Global Info Analytics, Alan Kyerematen’s withdrawal from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential primary helped both Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and Kennedy Agyapong, Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin Central.

Dr. Bawumia received 118,210 votes, or 61.47% of the vote, while Mr. Agyapong received 71,996 votes, or 37.41%.

The Vice President also led in 14 of the country’s 16 regions, with the Assin Central MP winning the remaining Central and Volta regions.

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In an interview on Point of View on Citi TV on Monday, Mr. Dankwah said, “There was Alan effect everywhere. If you look at the success of Bawumia and even Kennedy, they all benefitted from Alan’s exit from the race because the polls show that about a third of Alan’s supporters voted for Bawumia and the other two-thirds voted for Kennedy. So they both benefitted from Alan’s exit.”

Meanwhile, the governing NPP has dismissed suggestions that it was under pressure to elect Dr. Bawumia as its first non-Akan flagbearer ahead of the 2024 election.

According to the party, the perception that the NPP is an Akan-dominated party played no role in Dr. Bawumia’s election.

National Organizer of the NPP, Henry Nana Boakye, in an interview with Citi News, said delegates of the party saw the Vice President as the NPP’s best bet in the 2024 election.

“First of all, we need to understand that his persona, his ability to woo people to himself also worked,” Nana Boakye said, adding, “Over the years, he has also sacrificed a lot. He had to put aside his profession and join and be a running mate for almost 12 years before becoming the Vice President.”

Former Interior Minister in the Kufuor administration, Alhaji Malik Al-Hassan Yakubu, has congratulated Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia on his election as the New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer and expressed confidence in him to bring about the economic development and growth that the country requires.

The former Yendi lawmaker termed Bawumia’s election as a destiny option that will begin Ghana’s progress in the global economy.

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“It [Bawumia’s election] is a choice of destiny, and in the epoch of every country’s history, there are periods which, if you recognize and take advantage of them, then you are up for a significant effort in your country’s history. We are in a world economy where certain ideas, when applied, bring about major changes in your economy, and China has done that and is bearing results. In Ghana, Bawumia has been advocating a certain idea, which is the digital economy, and he has applied it in Zimbabwe, where it has worked. He keeps saying digitalization is the way to go. If you look at the Port and Harbor Authority, GRA, and other areas, it is working and bearing fruit. If you were to see the number of technocrats who came to witness his election, you would understand that he is a significant asset,” the former Yendi legislator told Umaru Sanda Amadu on Eyewitness News on Citi FM.

“The direction he is going, if he is given the opportunity to lead this country, I have no doubt in my mind that we will witness wonderful progress in our economy. The quality of his ideas will move this country forward, and I have no doubt in my mind. If he goes on to win the 2024 elections, we will see significant improvements in our economic fortunes,” he added.

Dr. Bawumia won the NPP flagbearer election over the weekend with 61.47% of the votes.

Many young people in the Bono East Region have expressed interest in contesting this year’s District level elections so they can lead in the mobilization of resources for development.

Most of the contestants are young men and women who have exhibited positive intentions to contest in the District Assembly and Unit committee level elections to represent their electoral areas.

The District Assembly is a local government body responsible for the overall development of the district. 

The Assembly elections slated for December 19, 2023, focus on promoting local governance and the decentralized concept across the country.

The Ghana News Agency’s look through the community saw posters of some of the youth contestants displayed in the town and on social media to show their readiness to take up the mantle.  

 In an interview with the GNA at Techiman, Mr. Francis Kwabena Sieh, a contestant, who is a teacher and a broadcast journalist, appealed to the electorate to vote for him to help promote the socio-economic development of the Twimia-Nkwanta electoral area in the Techiman Municipality.

He said he would consult and work together with stakeholders to attract more investors to the area. 

Mr. Yussif Sulemana, incumbent Assembly member for the Parambo electoral area in the Pru East District, expressed commitment to promote the welfare of the people in the area by connecting the community to development partners to seek support for the area.

He asked the people to give him the nod to continue the good work in the area. 

Mr. Ishmael Lamptey, the Bono East Regional programmes officer of the National Youth Authority (NYA), commended the youth for showing interest in the local assembly elections, adding that they were driving force for the national development.

Mr. Lamptey indicated that the emerging trend of the youth participating in elections resonated with the NYA mission to empower and project the youth and foster a sense of ownership, responsibility and civic duty among the youth and in the decision-making processes.