A political science lecturer at the University of Ghana, Dr Kwame Asah-Asante, has said that former Trade Minister Alan Kyerematen will be the deciding factor in the 2024 General Elections as an independent presidential candidate.
According to Dr. Asah-Asante, Mr. Kyerematen’s popularity in the Ashanti, Eastern, and Central regions made him a significant force in the 2024 General Elections.
Thus, he believes Mr. Kyerematen will be the kingmaker in the elections even though he does not stand a chance of winning.
“His absence will create the difficulties for them [NPP]. Alan can be the kingmaker. He knows that he is not going there to win, he is going there to rock the boat of the NPP.”
Dr. Kwame Asah-Asante
Dr. Asah-Asante predicted that Mr. Kyerematen’s independent candidature is capable of sending the elections into a second round.
“If he and the smaller parties can galvanize about 1.5 million votes, it will push the elections into the second round”, Dr. Asah-Asante added.
According to the political science lecturer, the resignation of Mr. Kyerematen was no surprise to him at all since the NPP created fertile ground for it to happen, from the beginning of their search for the next flagbearer.
“You recall that before the start of the campaign, the party had issued an editorial that nobody should do anything like a campaign until the whistle is blown for them to start but before they could say jack, people started and the party stood aloof without dealing with those people so it emboldened a lot of people and all that we saw was that they have thrown all the rules to the dogs and doing their own thing.”
Dr. Kwame Asah-Asante
Furthermore, Dr. Asah-Asante explained that the neglect of complaints on the abuse of incumbency advantage also played a significant role in the impasse. He blamed the attitude of the leadership of the party that created the impression that all was always well. He specifically critiqued the impression the leadership of the party created that, issues of intimidation and attack were minor instances. For him, little issues in politics may sink the entire ship.
“If you listened to the leaders, they created the impression that this is well, everything went well but this one thing. Just to tell us that we can gloss over it. In elections, any bad move is bad enough to rock the boat or destroy the whole electoral system.”
Dr. Kwame Asah-Asante
Dr. Asante Commend Alan For Political Maturity
He agreed with the decision of Mr. Kyerematen to resign and commended him on his show of political maturity given how the party structure would have not given him a chance at all.
“For me, he demonstrated a certain level of democratic maturity in the sense that one would have thought that he should have stayed and fought back but the structures that have been put in place will never allow him to do what he is supposed to do.”
Dr. Kwame Asah
Hence he entreated political parties to treat issues with a head-on approach.
“I believe that the decision was a good one to send a signal to political party operators that look if you are operating a democracy, it is for everybody, so when people bring their concerns to you, you need to address their issues head-on than pay lip services to it.”
Dr. Kwame Asah-Asante
He further shed light on how Ghana’s political history since 1951 had suppressed the rise of third forces. He strongly expressed his doubts for any third force to win political power in the country, especially given the first past the post electoral system Ghana runs. He indicated that the two-party system which is deeply rooted in Ghanaian political history is a remnant feature of the British colonial administration.
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