Kwame Acheampong
In a daring twist that has sent shockwaves through Ghana’s political landscape, Alan Kwadwo Kyeremanten, affectionately called Alan Cash, has broken free from his longtime political home, the New Patriotic Party (NPP), to ignite a blaze of change.
Alan, who was once a flagbearer aspirant of the Party from what he once called his abode in the political arena here in Ghana, and the birth of a new political movement, which signals a profound shift in the nation’s political narrative and, most importantly, challenges the status quo of the tradition of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), setting the stage for a compelling and potentially game-changing chapter in the NPP’s political history.
The talk in town about the Alan Cash-NPP saga is believed to have erupted when Alan Cash decided to part ways with the electoral trends of the NPP, usually known as the Danquah-Busia-Dombo tradition, and made the shocking announcement of going as an independent presidential candidate after a disappointing performance in the initial round of the Party’s Special Delegates’ Conference on August 26, 2023.
This did not sit well with the followers of Alan Cash and the New Patriotic Party in general, since one of its strong trees, with its roots metered deeply into the soils of the party and its tradition, has uprooted itself from their soil.
Mr. Kyerematen has chosen to follow the age-old wisdom of “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.” Alan’s departure from his political roots signifies a departure from the status quo.
Do you think this is the right way to go? On the other side of the coin, do you think the exit of Alan Cash makes the NPP act like wounded lions that strive to win battles regardless of their wounds to secure victory in the upcoming 2024 general elections? Or do you think this is, as it is said, a done deal for the NDC to secure victory in the upcoming 2024 general elections? For me, I feel either way it goes, it is for the good of Mother Ghana.
As we witnessed the Special Delegates’ Conference of the NPP on August 26, 2023, it all ended not quite well for some, but for others, they were pleased with what they were offered.
Ten (10) gallant prominent men of the NPP availed themselves of the flagbearership race, and it turned out that only six candidates were selected by the delegates, with two of them constituting a tie that had to be broken to get the stipulated five candidates for the final election of flagbearers.
One of the candidates, Mr. Boakye Agyarko, pulled out of the race for the rest to further contest on November 4, 2023, as stipulated by the party’s leadership. As we all prepared ourselves to witness this faithful day, it lingered in the waves of the political settings that a candidate might pull out of the flagbearer race due to displeasure with how things were going on within the party. Numerous people, especially party failthfuls of the NPP, thought it was one of the candidates from the tiebreaker, Mr. Adai-Nimoh, or the no-nonsense Kennedy O. Agyapong, who faced some problems against his team during the Super Delegates Conference, or any other candidate.
But we woke up one day only to find out that none of our guess was right, but rather a candidate deemed one of the backbones of the party:Alan Kwadwo Kyeremanten.
We then asked ourselves why?. What happened? But he was the third choice of the people?
In the words of Albert Einstein, “We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” So, on September 25, 2023, Alan Kyeremanten organized a press conference, and it was at this time that he announced his parting ways with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and that he would run as an independent candidate in the upcoming 2024 general elections.
As proof, he launched the Movement for Change, popularly known as the Afranfranto Movement, to fly alone.
For the NPP, it believed that the party’s history and legacy should serve as the bedrock of their future endeavors and that Alan should have played along with the cards of the party.
But one may ask, doesn’t every human have their own sentiments to make their own choices?
Yes, we do, and every man has the right to make his or her own choices, for which he or she must be accountable. Just as many will do, Alan gave out justifications for his decision. According to him, in a heartfelt address to the nation, Mr. Kyeremanten articulated the driving forces behind his departure from the NPP.
He cited that, despite his sacrifices for the NPP, there have been several attacks against him and his supporters nationwide, and he also made it clear that his services and contributions to the Party are not well appreciated and that his continuous stay in the Party will create further tension and division, which to him is an exact replay of the circumstances that led to his decision to resign from the Party in 2008.
With this as a basis for leaving the New Patriotic Party, Mr. Kyeremanten, in my view, did what was right. A man must be appreciated in his own home, and if that’s not the case, then he needs to flee to seek the environment that best suits him.
It is considered prejudice to base a defense just on one aspect of the narrative, so let’s take the NPP’s position into account as well.
The New Patriotic Party rebutted the assertion, but their arguments weren’t entirely convincing enough since some members of the Party, like Kennedy Agyapong and Addai Nimo, made assertions that aligned with some claims of Alan Cash.
But in all, the NPP must sincerely embrace this and right their wrongs.
In my opinion, the NPP should come together to reflect on the Nkrumah vs. UGCC case. Nkrumah was apparently regarded as a passing figure by the UGCC, leading them to choose not to invite him back to the party for negotiations.
It was clear that they believed his CPP would not gain public support and would fade away before it had a chance to develop.
Unfortunately, after only a little over four years of establishment, the UGCC crumbled largely after the 1951 general elections. If we look back at history, Alan Kyerematen’s compelling message advocating for change could potentially create challenges for the ‘Elephants’, much like it did during the UGCC vs. Kwame Nkrumah era.
Just as the UGCC did in 1951, arrogance and complacency could pose a threat to the NPP and fade into obscurity. Asserting that independent candidates cannot secure presidential elections is akin to disregarding historical events in various African nations, including Benin, just as it is claimed that no precedent exists for events beyond our knowledge.
As a concerned citizen, my only worry is getting leadership that will help Ghana. Like many Ghanaians, I can only wish Mother Ghana the best.
Kwame Acheampong/Ahotoronline.com
