Africa-Press – Ghana. A Member of Parliament (MP) from the Ashanti Region has chided former flagbearer aspirant of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen for casting a slur on the integrity of last month’s Super Delegates’ Conference.
Old Tafo MP Vincent Ekow Assafuah said what the former Minister of Trade and Industry stated in his press release to announce his withdrawal was “inconsistent” with the reality.
“The allegations that have been stated out there per the press statement is inconsistent with the reality,” he lashed out at Mr Kyerematen on The Keypoints on TV3/3FM on Saturday, September 9.
“The reality is that I do not think that the use of phrases like ‘widespread intimidation’, this is an allegation that was stated in the press release, is the reality on the ground.”
This was in response to the statement issued by Mr Kyerematen on Tuesday, September 5 to truncate his dream to lead the NPP in the 2024 elections.
He came third in the August 26 Super Delegates’ Conference behind Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and Assin Central MP Kennedy Ohene Agyapong.
Even before the November 4 Presidential Primary, also to be contested by former Agriculture Minister Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto and former Mampong MP Francis Addai-Nimoh, Mr Kyerematen cited intimidation and utterances by some party bigwigs as reasons for his withdrawal from the race.
“The pronouncements made by some leading members of our party both before and after the elections, also lend weight to my observations,” he stated in his official statement to announce his decision.
“The level of intimidation of varying intensity, directly and indirectly unleashed on a significant number of delegates at various voting centers across the sixteen regions is unprecedented in the history of our party,” he indicated, citing Ali Zakaria, his North East Region Polling Agent who was hit in the eye at the Nalerigu Senior High School.
But Mr Assafuah said there was only one violent incident as cited by Mr Kyerematen and recorded across the 17 voting centers.
“Can that be interpreted to mean there was widespread intimidation?” he asked.
For him, it is insulting for the former minister of state to accuse voters or delegates of being induced to vote for a particular candidate.
“Sitting here I feel very insulted as a Member of Parliament because I am a voter. I am part of the special delegates conference so if I go out to go and vote because of my belief in a particular candidate, does that mean I have been induced?”
The Old Tafo MP was impassioned sharing his sentiments.
“I am very passionate about this issue because the stature of Hon Alan Kyerematen is so huge.
“I have had occasion to indicate that he is a gentleman to fault. I have no problem with him like many others who voted for Dr Bawumia. Nobody has a problem with him but when you bring out such a statement, it casts a slur on the integrity or the security integrity of the state.”
Mr Assafuah described what happened in the North East Region as “isolated”.
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