What If Alan Wins ?

This is not meant to tickle anyone’s fancies. It is rather meant to be the bitter truth being said without fear or favour; it is about the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and events leading to the party’s primaries to elect a presidential candidate for the 2024 elections.

It is about who takes the baton from President, Nana Akufo-Addo, who is barred by the constitution from contesting again after winning two terms.

From where we sit, the flag-bearer contest would be a straight neck-in-neck race between current Vice President, Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia and Trade Minister, Alan Kyeremanten, who has been lacing his boots for the slot well over two decades. There are living testimonies to prove this with verifiable evidence that at the time Alan started to nurse his ambition, Prof. Adu Boahen was gathering resources to become flag-bearer.

For the 2024 flag-bearer race, there are a few other persons who are said to have expressed interest, but they are most likely to end up like the 14 or so ministers and one vice President who performed miserably at a similar flag-bearer race in 2007. That same history would repeat itself if the party allows just any interested and qualified soul to contest.

We would have wished  they would see the writings on the wall early enough and save their breaths to cool their porridge, better still, not waste the small funds (perhaps not small), they have managed to earn for themselves.

It must be put on record that none of the two gentlemen, we have tipped to be lead contenders has told The New Publisher of any interest to become flag-bearer. And this is not meant to be an advertorial for any of them.

Our focus is to remind some key persons within the party that any of the two can easily win the race therefore it is politically suicidal to damage one beyond repairs. In the gladiators arena, even where the rule allows for fight-to-kill so the survivor gets enthroned as  emperor, care is always taken so that injuries that can lead to permanent  and irreparable deformity is usually avoided by both fighters else the new emperor could spend forever and whatever in a quest for cure.

What the paper has observed is that even before the NPP announces a roadmap to the flag-bearer race, supporters of the two are on an unofficial campaign and for reasons yet to be made known; Alan Kyeremanten is being painted black with paint manufactured by persons who are not from outside the NPP family.

Suddenly, Alan has all manner of dirt, mud, dust and even spears being thrown at him. The bitter truth is that it is becoming as though, supporting Alan is a taboo and such supporters are disloyal saboteurs who must be stopped in their tracks at all cost.

We expect that the defense and public relations strategies that are activated anytime Dr. Bawumia comes under fire should be extended to Alan as well. One may argue that Dr. Bawumia is the incumbent vice President and therefore the agenda to protect his brand.

Well, that would be a fair excuse but local wisdom would tell us all that in royal family, an heir apparent is given the same protection as an heir presumptive. In this case, it is not clear which of the two would get the nod. It is risky to watch one get soiled.

As for the NPP, the hardly learn from past mistakes. Else they would have this time, put measures in place for early primaries so they find enough time to patch up the ripple effects of such contests which includes intra party splits, apathy and bitterness.

In seeking a third-term mandate in a row, the slightest margin of split, no matter how small it is, would lead to a straight defeat irrespective of who the candidate is.