The New Patriotic Party has reacted to the reported resignation of Alan Kyeremanten, one of the Presidential aspirants from the party, which was carried widely by the mass media last week.

A statement copied to The Saturday Statesman and signed by Jake Otanka Obetsebi-Lamptey, Chairman of the National Campaign Committee, said the party is disappointed by Mr Kyerematen's resignation, which was predicated, according to the former Trade Minister, on alleged intimidation and harassment of his supporters by others in the party.

According to Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey, since the end of the NPP Presidential campaign, the winner, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has worked hard to heal divisions that occurred during the primary.

"This was necessitated by the unusually large number of aspirants and he has met this challenge magnificently, he has met with aspirants as a group and individually numerous times, bringing on board their supporters, including Kyerematen who chaired a meeting of Committee on Identifiable Groups,” he said.

Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey pointed out that the NPP Parliamentary primaries are, consistent with the party's constitution, rules and regulations, being supervised by party officers.

He noted that to avoid discord and promote unity, the party, working with the Presidential Candidate, has put in place Mediation Committees for the regions to resolve problems arising out of the primaries.

“Incumbent MP’s, regardless of who they supported are facing challenges while some without reference to what they did in the Presidential primaries are being returned unopposed. Therefore, any suggestion that the supporters of any particular person are being targeted is not based on facts. The campaign has full confidence in the party’s ability to manage this primary process with fairness and firmness,” he stressed.

Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey, who was one of 17 men including Mr Kyerematen who contested in the party’s flagbearer race, said the NPP has always been bigger than any individual and after every Presidential primary, the party has united behind the winner.

“President Kufuor as well as our current nominee, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, all helped the winners when they lost; we hope that this great tradition will continue this time” he added.

The chairman of the National Campaign Committee hoped wise council will prevail and that Mr Kyerematen will rejoin the party as it works to retain the presidency and its parliamentary majority in this year’s elections.

In his resignation letter, Mr Kyerematen, after outlining his contribution to the party and government over the years, said “I have however been deeply concerned about recent developments in our party, and have had the occasion to discuss extensively these events with your good self and other senior members of our party. In spite of these concerns, I have been hoping we could all move forward and work together as one family to advance the cause of the party.

“However, repeated reports coming from various constituencies point to open attempts to intimidate and alienate some members of the party including sitting MPs who supported my candidature in the flagbearer race. This I believe undermines the unity of the party.

“It is sad to note that even my recent effort to embark on a “Thank You” tour of various constituencies during which I took the opportunity to call for peace and unity in the party has been misconstrued in certain quarters within the party, leading to all kinds of negative propaganda.

“Under the circumstance, Mr Chairman, I am compelled regrettably to hereby resign my membership of the party with immediate effect. … I hope that at the appropriate time, when the need arises, or when circumstances permit, I would rejoin the ranks of the party.”

Our checks indicate NPP National Chairman Peter Mac Manu received his copy of the resignation letter at the airport just before he boarded a flight outside the country.