The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has criticized former NPP flagbearer hopeful, Alan Kyerematen.

His criticism comes in response to Kyerematen's decision to resign from the party and contest the 2024 elections as an independent candidate.

Chairman Wontumi expressed his disappointment with Kyerematen, claiming that the NPP had provided numerous opportunities to the former minister, and he now appeared ungrateful to the party that had nurtured his political career.

Speaking in an interview on Wontumi TV on September 26, 2023, he argued that despite Alan Kyerematen's silence on criticizing the opposition during their time in power, he was still offered a position within the party that catered to him and his family's needs.

"It is about fear that is why Alan Kyerematen has left the party, sometime back, he claimed that Akufo-Addo was old, the sole reason he should be allowed to contest for the presidency.

"Fortunately, or unfortunately, now he is also grown, because at that time, Akufo-Addo was 70 years old, and now he is also 70 years old. Now, you are grown, Alan. You are 70. He has grown and turned into a butterfly," Wontumi stressed.

Wontumi criticized Alan Kyerematen for his perceived lack of support for the NPP during the opposition's tenure.

"For you, Alan, we have never seen you criticizing the NDC before. You have never criticized the NDC before, despite all the dumsor (power outages) that we experienced and Mahama’s issues."

He added "But the party gave you a position for you to be able to take care of your wife and children. Now, all of you understand English even better than me. Your wife speaks better English than me now; she speaks it more fluently than Wontumi. Now, NDC members are speaking for you."

Chairman Wontumi warned that Alan Kyerematen might struggle to gain the support he needed as an independent candidate and suggested that other lesser-known candidates could surpass him in popularity.

"I am saying Alan should watch and see if he will get the same fans again when he contests, I am saying Akua Donkor will even get more fans than him; Akpaloo will even get more fans than him."

Alan Kyerematen's decision to run as an independent candidate came on September 25, when he officially resigned from the NPP. This move followed his withdrawal from the NPP's flagbearer race, which reportedly stemmed from challenges encountered during a Super Delegates Conference held within the party in August 2023.

In his official statement regarding his resignation and independent candidacy, Alan Kyerematen stated, "Under the circumstances and given the context, I am honorably resigning from the New Patriotic Party to contest the high office of the presidency in 2024 as an independent presidential candidate."

Wontumi is leading the attacks on Alan Kyerematen. He says Alan is not an Asante. It's very interesting here.
1/3 pic.twitter.com/Yo2ACoo3lt

— General Marcus! (@marcusadampah) September 26, 2023