The camp of Alan John Kwadwo Kyerematen, a serial contender for the flagbearer slot of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), is gaining notoriety for churning out tribal and religious messages as means to annexing the presidential candidacy of the governing party.
In the last few months, key members of the former Trade and Industry Minister’s camp, have spent time to either clarifying their statements or distancing themselves from comments deemed to be in bad taste or politically damaging to the fortunes of Mr Kyeremanten, who has been at his presidential ambition since 2007.
The latest to spark yet another furore in the NPP is Alan team’s Eastern Regional Campaign Coordinator, Samuel Ayeh Paye, who is accused of sending messages to party members asking them to reject Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia at the upcoming NPP flagbearer contest because he is a Muslim.
This comes nearly six months, after Hopeson Adorye, was heard at a Health Walk in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region, on Saturday, August 13, 2022 dubbed Alan ‘Adru Woso’ Health Walk” declaring Northerners as second class citizens to Asantes in the NPP. To him, Northerners must always be running mates to a Presidential candidate, who must be an Akan.
An NPP activist by name Wendy Akuffo, who was obviously incensed by a text message she received from Mr Ayeh Paye, onetime Member of Parliament (MP) for Ayensuano, leaked it on social media, sparking angry reactions from NPP supporters who are aligned to the Bawumia camp.
Screenshots of Mr Ayeh Paye’s message, had asked Ms Akuffo “where do you worship” to which she responded “I’m a Presbyterian. The ex-MP quickly retorted; And you want a Muslim to be president?
Mr Kyeremanten’s Eastern Regional Campaign Coordinator, has since admitted texting Ms. Akuffo, and casting religious aspersions at Vice-President Bawumia.
In a press statement he issued on Saturday, he admitted corresponding with Ms. Akuffo in which he “…also suggested to her that due to the higher Christian population in Ghana, NPP should present a Christian as a presidential candidate.
He went on “I stated that NPP has a better chance of winning the 2024 election should we present a Christian as our candidate”, but added “I never said in any of my private conversations with her that we should not vote for Dr. Bawumia because he is a Muslim.
He wrote saying “My attention has been drawn to some reports trending on both traditional and social media that, Samuel Ayeh-Paye is preaching religious lines against the Vice President of the Republic, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia regarding the upcoming internal elections of the ruling New Patriotic Party that he is a Muslim, and I have been calling some party members to votes against him.
“To set the record straight, what happened was that, on Wednesday, 12th January 2023, I was having a private discussion with one lady called Wendy Akuffo, via WhatsApp.
“In the discussion, I assessed to weigh a Muslim presidential candidate against an NDC Christian presidential candidate.
“The conversation was only based on the assessment of the chances of a Muslim candidate against a Christian candidate.
“This lady, who I suspect was on agenda to trap me, fetched the discussion twisted it, and wrote on her Facebook wall claiming, I said Dr Bawumia is a Muslim, so Christians should not vote for him.
“To be on the record, I have a lot of respect for Muslims and also respect Christians and Muslims co-existing in this country and I will not do anything to endanger the relations between the two religious groups.
“I will therefore want to take this opportunity to apologize to the entire Muslim community and all who have been hurt by this twisted story and also state clearly that I never said in any of the discussions that Dr Bawumia, is a Muslim and should not be voted for.
But, Ms. Akuffo, has since responded to the ex-MP’s statement that she had an agenda to trap him, saying “Ayeh Paye has issued a disclaimer claiming I wanted to set an agenda, when he rather texted me first… I didn’t even know he’s supporting Alan..
“Anyways, if you never said we should not vote for Dr Mahamudu Bawumia because he’s a Muslim, why did you ask me why do I want a Muslim to be a president?
“Why that question? Check comment section for his disclaimer, he just exposed himself…
On his part, Hopeson Adorye, a former head of security at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) had engaged in tribal and religious politics when he publicly declared that the tradition of NPP is such that northerners do not lead the party.
He said northerners are reserved for running mates position since 1992. This according to the party communicator, should continue.
On Wednesday, August 17, 2022, the NPP leadership wrote to the then Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Kyerematen over the health walk organized in his name as part of his moves to be elected as flagbearer of the party for the 2024 general elections.
The party had stated that it has taken steps to ensure that the laid down rules and regulation outlined are not violated.
However, the Alan supporters were found to have flouted the party’s directive on the ban of political activities related to upcoming presidential and parliamentary primaries.
A statement issued by the General of the NPP, Justin Frimpong Kodua at the time said “Under the instruction of the steering committee Mr Alan Kyerematen has been written to in respect of the ‘Adru Woso’ Health walk that was organized in his name.”
Following this, Mr Kyerematen, who is going into a fourth attempt at NPP flagbearer slot, broke his silence on a health walk organized for him by some sympathizers.
In a statement dated Wednesday, August 17, Mr Kyerematen, condemned the comment of the Director of Operations of his Campaign Team, Hopeson Adorye, which were deemed as tribal and disrespectful to Northerners and Muslims in NPP.
“I understand, with great concern, that the unintended consequences of these comments, have generated strong reactions from different sections of the Ghanaian public, with the potential of creating divisions within the rank and file of our Party, at a crucial time in its history.
In condemning any actions that may disturb the peace within the party, Mr Kyerematen also cautioned against elements who are good at using propaganda and misinformation to fuel ethnic sentiments.
“It is important that we all fight what seems to be emerging as a dangerous trend in our body politic in Ghana, of using misinformation and propaganda in instigating disunity along ethnic, religious and political lines.”
