Alan Kyerematen, a former Minister of Trade and Industry and now an independent presidential candidate, has criticised former President John Agyekum Kufuor for endorsing Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the Vice President and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential candidate.
Kufuor, the first NPP leader to secure the presidency in Ghana’s Fourth Republic, expressed his support for Dr. Bawumia, citing his policies and vision as pivotal to advancing the nation.
The endorsement prompted backlash from Kyerematen.
Having left the NPP to run independently after losing to Dr. Bawumia in the party’s presidential primary, Kyerematen strongly condemned Kufuor’s decision to support the Vice President.
In a widely shared video, Alan criticised his former boss, ex-President Kufuor, shocking his interviewer in the process.
“President Kufuor is an old man; I take him as my uncle. I don’t want to attack him in public. But what he has done has created a big blot on his political career. You see how people are attacking him now? Someone who has had a distinguished political career and is widely respected—how come he is now meddling in such matters, allowing people to attack him in this manner?
“He is my uncle, but what he is doing is not right. He should put a stop to that. If you are an elderly person and are being advised against doing something wrong, you must heed the advice and stop.”
When the interviewer pointed out that the man he was criticising had served as president before and was free to voice his opinions about which candidate was the best, Alan reacted angrily once more.
“Don’t force me to say certain things. Only he (Kufuor) knows why he is saying all these things,” Alan fumed.
Over the years, Alan has been known as ex-President Kufuor’s ‘darling boy.’
It was rumoured that then-President Kufuor, who first appointed Alan Kyerematen as Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States of America, later recalled him to Ghana and appointed him as Minister of Trade and Industry to prepare him for the NPP flagbearer slot in 2007, eventually to succeed him (President Kufuor) as leader of the NPP and ultimately as President of Ghana in the 2008 presidential election.
During the hotly contested NPP flagbearership contest in 2007, then-President Kufuor was accused of heavily supporting Alan against the popular contestant, Nana Akufo-Addo, much to the dislike of many NPP supporters.
You have created a big blot on your political career by endorsing Dr. Bawumia – Alan Kyeremanteng to Former President Kufour#oyerepa @AlanKyerematen pic.twitter.com/dNt61YYPaP
— Oyerepa TV/FM (@oyerepaofficial) November 18, 2024
