General News of Tuesday, 8 July 2014

Source: Daily Dispatch

Forget 2020 if you lose 2016 elections – Alan tells NPP

Members and sympathizers of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have been advised to work hard for the party to win the 2016 elections or forget about winning the 2020 elections.

This advice is coming from no other person than Nana Ohene Ntow, Spokesperson and Campaign Coordinator for Mr. John Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, a leading member of the NPP who is contesting to become the Party’s presidential candidate for 2016.

Nana Ohene Ntow was speaking on behalf of Mr. Alan Kyeremanten to respond to allegations of Alan being part of a so-called agenda 2020.

Over the last six months, Mr. Kyerematen has been giving a series of interviews in which he has said NPP must elect a candidate who appeals to the kingmakers of elections in Ghana, the floating voters.

The main thrust of Mr. Kyeremateng’s interviews in both the Africawatch Magazine and the Daily Graphic are firstly, the party must undertake a psychological examination as to why the NPP the 2008 and 2012 flagbearer has not been able to win the floating voters for the party.

Secondly, the party must undertake an independent assessment as to why NPP lost the elections, which according to Alan, the party should never have lost. Lastly, NPP must find out lessons that the party is taking into 2016 elections.

At a recent media gathering in Kumasi, Mr. Kyerematen, through his spokesperson, was very frank and honest.

Below is a report from our Kumasi correspondent, Mr. Isaac Amoah:

Nana Ohene Ntow, the former General Secretary of New Patriotic Party (NPP) and official Spokesperson for NPP presidential candidate, Mr. Kwadwo Alan Kyerematen, has said that it will be difficult for his party to win the 2020 general elections, if the party fails to win the 2016 general elections.

“Let me state here and now that, the claim that, Alan Kyerematen is part of any Agenda 2020 is completely false and let those who claim that they have the recordings of any purported meeting of agenda 2020 come out with the evidence”. In fact, if NPP fails to win 2016 elections, it will be more difficult for them to win 2020 polls since by then, NDC Ministries and other appointees who are messing up would have learn lessons from their mistakes, mobilize more funds and above all gain political experience to face any political party,” he stated.

The Former General Secretary therefore challenged the Assin Central NPP MP, Mr. Kennedy Ohene Agyapong to provide evidence that Mr. Alan Kyerematen, former President Kufuor and Mr. Kwadwo Mpiani, former Chief of Staff under ex-President Kufuor are involved in some meetings dubbed Agenda 2020, which is aimed at scuttling the party’s chances of winning 2016 elections.

Mr. Kyerematen’s spokesperson made this call in Kumasi, during a Press Soiree organized by Mr. Alan Kyerematen for the Journalists in the Ashanti region as part of his regional campaign tour to canvass for votes ahead of Party’s flagbearership congress.

Nana Ohene Ntow therefore called on the media to always give his candidate equal opportunity to react to those false propaganda against Mr. Alan Kyerematen.

He stated that, no political party can win power with its own core-supporters alone.

“If NPP wants to win power the issue of selection of candidate should not be based on sympathy or other factors, than a candidate who can appeal to floating voters and other minority parties. The party needs the support of other political parties like what former President Kufuor did in the 2000 and 2004 elections. Something the party failed to build upon in 2008 and 2012 elections.

“We want to tell what Mr. Alan Kyerematen represents and what he is capable of doing should he be given the nod and would not waste time and energy attacking any person. We also expect all our supporters to campaign on issues. We can’t stop anybody from campaigning for us but we will not also entertain anybody hiding behind Alan Kyerematen to tell falsehood about any of the candidates”, he said.