Pollster Ben Ephson has stated that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is acting charitably with his supposed support for Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia in the contest for his successor in the New Patriotic Party.
According to Ben Ephson, when the party was last in government President Kufuor who was then said to be supporting Alan Kyerematen in the flagbearer contest went as far as sacking his ministers who rather supported Akufo-Addo in the race.
“16 years ago, he, Alan was the establishment candidate. Akufo-Addo was the victim of the establishment candidate. So, even if Bawumia is the establishment candidate, Akufo-Addo has been a bit more discreet.
“I will give you one typical example. Ministers of state, 16 years ago under President Kufuor, who supported Akufo-Addo were dismissed. I will repeat that in 2007, ministers of state who supported Akufo-Addo and did not support Alan Kyerematen were dismissed,” he stated in an interview on Peace FM’s Kokrokoo on Morning show on Thursday, October 12, 2023.
Ahead of the November 4, 2023, congress by the NPP to elect a new flagbearer, John Alan Kyerematen has resigned from the race and the party and announced his decision to contest the 2024 presidential election as an independent candidate.
According to the former minister for trade and industry, he and his supporters have become victims of threats and intimidation at the expense of an agenda by officials of the party and the government to tilt the contest in favour of their preferred candidate.
But according to Ben Ephson, the situation is rather better under President Akufo-Addo when compared to some 16 years ago during the Kufuor leadership.
“There are ministers of state today who supported Alan and they are still at post. Peter Amewu (Minister for Railway Development) is one,” he emphasized.
![](https://i0.wp.com/ghanaxpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/WhatsApp-Image-2024-05-20-at-15.32.19_fa22ea55.jpg?fit=700%2C700&ssl=1)