Veteran journalist Paul Adom-Otchere has predicted that Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, who has resigned from the New Patriotic Party to run for the presidency as an Independent Candidate, will be forgotten by voters as the 2024 election campaign season intensifies.
According to Adom-Otchere, if Dr Mahamudu Bawumia becomes the NPP’s flagbearer, the election will become a fierce battle primarily between Bawumia and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama.
Alan Kyerematen on Monday, September 25, resigned from the New Patriotic Party to contest as an Independent Candidate.
Speaking on Eyewitness News on Citi FM, Mr Adom-Otchere said, “I can tell you that by the time the campaign hits a crescendo, if Dr Mahamudu Bawumia becomes the NPP’s candidate, with the kind of campaigning he does, which he’s going to do. When the campaign reaches a crescendo, and it’s John Dramani Mahama versus Dr. Bawumia, people will even forget that Alan Kyerematen is contesting.
“It’s going to be a stiff election, it’s going to be brutally fought. And nobody will remember that there’s a third candidate. I can assure you of that, we still need time to see how Alan’s campaign will pan out”.
Adom-Otchere also expressed his belief that while some Ghanaians, including NPP and NDC youth, may voice support for Alan Kyerematen on social media, they could ultimately opt not to vote for him in the 2024 elections.
“An NPP youth person will feel that voting for Alan means throwing his vote away, so they are more likely to vote for their party. NDC people on the other hand are a bit frightened by the break of the 8, they don’t want the 8 to happen.
“They certainly want the 8 to be destroyed. They want the NPP out, they want their candidate to win. So NDC youth are not even going to pay attention to potentially vote for Alan. They may support him on social media. They will support him in rhetoric but in terms of casting the ballot, they will vote for John Mahama,” he said.
Alan cited intimidation of his supporters and divisiveness of the party as some of the reasons he resigned from the party.