Yaw Buaben Asamoa, former Member of Parliament for Adentan Constituency, has leveled allegations against President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, accusing him of being ungrateful towards Alan Kyerematen, a former Minister of Trade and Industry and a flagbearer hopeful for the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Buaben Asamoa claims that Alan Kyerematen sacrificed his own presidential ambitions to support Akufo-Addo, with the understanding that Akufo-Addo would subsequently hand over the leadership of the party to him after his tenure.
Speaking in an interview with Wontumi TV on May 19, 2023, Buaben Asamoa revealed that during the 2007 and 2008 NPP primaries, which featured seventeen strong candidates, including twelve cabinet members, Alan Kyerematen emerged as the runner-up, with then-Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama placing third.
However, Alan Kyerematen selflessly sacrificed his opportunity to contest in a runoff against Akufo-Addo, expressing his support for Akufo-Addo’s bid to promote unity within the party and enhance their chances of winning the general elections.
“2007 and 2008, Alan really prepared and that particular primaries I am not sure we will witness its kind in Ghana ever again because it comprises seventeen strong candidates and about twelve of them were all cabinet members, there were a lot of big names who were contesting at that time.
“So, after Kufuor’s tenure, what happened? People accused Kufour of supporting Alan and opposed him that they won’t agree because they wanted Nana Addo, and Kufuor agreed. So, we went to Legon for the primaries and Alan became second among all the big men in the contest.
“That time vice president Alhaji Aliu Mahama, may his soul rest in peace, was third and Alan was second, so they were supposed to go into a run-off but Alan sacrificed it for Akufo-Addo saying, my senior brother Nana Addo, I have given you the go-ahead. So, go and contest for the presidency so that the unity among us and the party will be stronger and for us to win the elections as well so I am sacrificing for you,” he said.
Asamoa alleged that president Akufo-Addo is now supporting a different candidate to succeed him, going against the party’s traditional practice of supporting the runner-up from the previous election.
In addition, Buaben Asamoa pointed out the irony of the situation, recalling that Akufo-Addo himself once criticized former President Kufour for allegedly supporting Alan Kyerematen instead of him during his own bid for the presidency in the 2007, and 2008 primaries.
“But if you check now, his senior brother’s (Akufo-Addo) time is up and he is about to leave, we have heard that he has mounted behind a different candidate to come and contest, and the party is saying that as tradition demands like we used to do in the olden days as we did for you president, and in your own words, you said after Alan sacrificed for you, he has done well, in his own words, so in future when you complete your tenure you will allow Alan to continue because it will be his time ….and we left everything and supported you. But now that it is time for you to act according to the norms, the same thing that you complained about Kufour doing to you, today you are….” he lamented.
Buaben Asamoa highlighted the promise Akufo-Addo made to Kyerematen, where he acknowledged the sacrifice and indicated that when his own tenure came to an end, he would support Kyerematen to lead the party. He then expressed disappointment that Akufo-Addo seemingly reneged on his promise, contrary to the norms and principles of the party.
