Political marketing scientist, Prof Kobby Mensah, has revealed that the exit of Alan Kyerematen from the New Patriotic Party (NPP), will reduce the party’s votes in its stronghold, the Ashanti region.
According to him, because Alan Kyerematen has operated on the political scene and within the NPP for a long while, he has mobilized people and commanded a certain following. Owing to this, he noted that the people who will be “independent voters might think that a third candidate along the lines of NPP, NDC and of course even CPP and PNC could be an attractive choice to make”.
Moreover, Prof Mensah stated that if there’s any iota of belief that NPP can break the 8, Alan’s resignation is “certainly not the news they want to hear”.
“He perhaps had a certain aura around him, he could perhaps push the argument that he had a new vision, of course, somebody will say he had served the government, but he was not in the pole position as Bawumia was. So, for him to pull out, I certainly believe that he is going to whittle away some votes in Ashanti region particularly where he has very strong following, and across the country because he had run as a flagbearer candidate for a period of time…”
Prof Kobby Mensah
Commenting on what the second resignation of Alan Kyerematen from the NPP would mean to the party, Prof Mensah stated that if there was “any belief that they could break the 8, I think this really nails it that it’s not going to be possible”.
He explained that the party was even going to struggle if it had voted for Alan. However, he noted that Dr Bawumia is not the kind of person that the NPP could break the 8 with.
“People are unfortunately very enchanted by his leadership… Bawumia was the poster boy for most of the government’s flagship [programmes], especially from the economic perspective, and he has disappointed big time. Now, with that in place, you will think that they will have perhaps Alan [used] to headline the political party, if they believe that they could break the 8. Now, immediately Alan pulled out of the NPP, any shred of belief, I think is gone completely.”
Prof Kobby Mensah
Forming alliance between NPP and Alan Kyerematen
Furthermore, Prof Mensah highlighted that the seeming divide created by Alan Kyerematen in terms of voters’ breakaway “definitely will be hurting NPP”. He concerted that although creating a coalition between the NPP and Alan may be possible in electoral systems, such coalition is not the most viable alternative for Mr Kyerematen at this point.
“I don’t think that he or NPP rather stands in a better position to be in a coalition. I think if there’s anything at all, it could be the NDC or the other political parties – they can be in coalition with Alan, not the NPP. Because the grounds based on which he left are grounds that I don’t think that he will be convinced to go back.”
Prof Kobby Mensah
Moreover, Prof Mensah asserted that currently, there’s so much mistrust between Alan Kyerematen and the structures of the NPP that it will be “very difficult to think that he will go back for a coalition”.
He further noted that such decision by Alan will actually not speak well of his personality and character because it’s the same party he’s actually exited.
“Why do you then team up as a coalition? I think it’s very difficult to justify that. So, if there’s any other partnership, it could be with the other political parties as opposed to NPP.”
Prof Kobby Mensah
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