The pollster Ben Ephson has said the withdrawal of Alan Kyerematen, a flagbearer hopeful of the New Patriotic Party from the NPP presidential primaries will have little impact on the party.
In a statement issued on Tuesday (5 September), Kyerematen said after analysing the results of the special delegates’ conference last month, it was very clear to him that “events leading to, during and after the special delegates’ conference was strategically and tactically skewed in favour of one particular aspirant”.
He added that pronouncements made by some leading members of the NPP, both before and after the elections, also lend weight to his observations.
“The level of intimidation of varying intensity, directly and indirectly unleashed on a significant number of delegates at various voting centres across the 16 regions, is unprecedented in the history of our party.
“In addition, the fact that my polling agent in the North East Region has suffered severe damage to his eyesight, arising from his bold and courageous effort to ensure compliance with the very rules and regulations for the conduct of the elections as approved by the Presidential Elections Committee, will for ever remain a dark spot in the history of internal elections within the party.
“This incident and various acts of violence and collusion, reported in other voting centres, are appalling, unconscionable and despicable,” Kyerematen said.
“Regrettably, I am not convinced that the circumstances I have referred to earlier will not persist or even be escalated in the next round of elections, for which balloting is scheduled for Wednesday, 6 September 2023.”
However, speaking to Andy Sepah on the Big Bulletin on Tuesday (5 September), Ephson said “I think that, many of those who will vote for Alan Kyerematen in the primaries love NPP than Alan Kyerematen as a person.”
“Now if he leaves and contest as an independent candidate or on another party’s ticket for 2024 general elections, for your listeners who are 30-years and below will not remember that 17-years ago when President Akufo-Addo defeated Alan Kyerematen, he resigned from the NPP before coming back to the party.”
“Now he makes a point about the hierarchy of government supporting a candidate, 17-years ago, President Kufour’s government and hierarchy supported him and he lost, so a system supporting you does not guarantee victory,” Ephson said.
Listen to Ben Ephson in the attached video clip below:
Reporting by Fred Dzakpata in Accra
Asaase Radio 99.5 broadcasts on radio via 99.5 in Accra, 98.5 in Kumasi, 99.7 in Tamale, 100.3 in Cape Coast and on our affiliates Bawku FM 101.5 in Bawku, Beats FM 99.9 in Bimbilla, Somua FM 89.9 in Gushegu, Stone City 90.7 in Ho, Mining City 89.5 in Tarkwa and Wale FM 106.9 in Walewale
Tune in to broadcasts online: www.asaaseradio.com, Sound Garden and TuneIn
Follow us on Twitter: @asaaseradio995
Live streaming on facebook.com/asaase99.5. Also on YouTube: AsaaseXtra.
Join the conversation. Call: 020 000 9951 or 059 415 7777. Or WhatsApp: 020 000 0995.
#Asaase321
#TheVoiceofOurLand
#WeAreHere
#WeLoveOurLand
#SafeMotorway4All
