Former Trade Minister Alan Kyerematen says he and the New Patriotic Party MPs who threw their weight behind him, during his time in the party, do not hold any grudges against each other nor have they deserted him.
Speaking on PM Express on JoyNews he stated that although he left the party to solely focus on Ghana, MPs are not obliged to do so.
He explained that they are in parliament on the ticket of the NPP to represent their constituents and he understands if they are unable to work with him or throw their support behind him as an independent candidate.
“I have made a decision that I want to focus on Ghana. I’ve served my party honourably and nobody can dispute that. So I’ve moved on. I want to save Ghana. So I don’t have a problem with them,” Mr Kyerematen said.
He added that “we shouldn’t see it as a desertion or anything like that. I actually realised right from the beginning that I should allow them to be able to serve their constituents because I’m not floating a new party. I’m not floating parliamentarians. That’s not what I’m seeking to do. So if they can still remain on the ticket of the NPP and when to go to parliament, why not?”
Mr Kyerematen says despite the fact that these MPs have influence in their constituencies he will not poach any of them to join his quest for presidency as an independent candidate.
“I’m promoting a government of national unity, with people from all walks of life, rich, poor, young, old, able, disabled, or physically challenged, people from the business community, people from media, people from academia, those who have something to offer to our country.”
“I want us to have a united governance mechanism and structure so that in parliament, you have ministers who have been appointed from NPP, you have ministers who have been appointed from NDC, from CPP, people who are apolitical, and I believe that they have the competence and the talent to help Ghana,” Mr Kyerematen explained.
The former Minister resigned from the governing NPP on Monday, September 26.
The presidential aspirant who placed third during the party’s Super Delegates Congress will contest the 2024 election as an independent presidential candidate.
At a much-publicised press conference, he indicated that “my decision to contest as an Independent Candidate will not destroy the Party, but instead provide the Party an opportunity to participate in a Government of National Unity in the future, and avoid the risk of going into opposition with no dividends, in what arguably will be a difficult general election in 2024.”
Following his announcement, some MPs who supported him as an NPP flagbearer aspirant made public statements declaring their position on the matter. They noted that they will not be breaking away from the NPP.
But, Alan Kyerematen says his goal in going independent is to push for a transformational agenda powered by the youth and bring young people and women to the centre of governance.
