Alan Kyeremanteng’s Resignation. Who Loses?
April 19, 2008
Sometimes when sources hint on the impending big news, it is easy for a media practitioner to take it with a pinch of salt. Sometimes, these hints sound so farfetched that you are left with a feeling that it will be false.
But when I heard a senior NPP member had tendered in his resignation letter to the party chairman, I didn’t need to be told it was Alan Cash. It took only two phone calls to get a confirmation. Contrary to reports, many in the media and the NPP were really not surprised. It had been rumoured for so long that, Nana Akuffo Addo and President kuffour reportedly met with him to find out if it was true and possibly to persuade him to change his mind.
So why did he really resign?
Officially, the reason he gave is that too many of his supporters were being intimidated and alienated from the party just for supporting him. He contends that MPs who supported him are almost being muscled out of their parliamentary seats as the party starts its primaries. According to Mr. Kyeremanteg, though he has informed party executives of these developments, little has been done about it. He therefore believes that quitting the party (though he still believes in its philosophies and ideals) may help ease the pressure on his supporters. He adds that he may return if these issues are resolved. For other insiders however, Alan has quit because he was not tough enough to run the Political marathon. Mustafa Hamid, spokesman for the Akuffo Addo campaign told Kwaku Sakyi Addo on the frontpage, that what Alan calls hounding is normal Political antics that every Politician suffers. In essence Alan cash was just not tough enough.
My mind run through a few questions as I drove to the office the morning after his resignation. And so far these are the answers I have managed to come up with.
How does his quitting the party stop the hounding of his supporters?
I put this question to two of his spokesmen – Kuuku Welson Jones and Charlse Sam and neither of them gave convincing answers. The Alan camp is unable to explain how his followers would be received better in the party just because he quit the party. Charlse Sam suggests that if Mr. Kyeremanteng (the reason or which these people are being hounded)is no longer in the party, then there is no reason to further hound the people and therefore the people would be left alone. In essence Alan’s resignation is not for himself but for his people. Kuuku sounded more like ……..”he has left the Party for them”
After their various interviews and others I have listened to, I still am unable to fathom how the hounders would leave the houndees alone simple because Alan is no longer an NPP member. If they don’t like you, they won’t start liking you because Alan Left. If they like you, you would still be welcome even if you supported Alan.
But how significant is his exit?
For a man who pushed the Party’s recent congress into a second round Alan Kyeremanteng has a lot of admirers in the Party. For a man whose withdrawal paved way for the affirmation of Nana Akuffo Addo as flagbearer, Alan Kyeremanteng has a lot of followers in the Party. As to how loyal these supporters and followers are, I cannot say. One National Executive member of the Party asked me to find out from the People who have been allegedly hounded if they would follow suit and leave the Party. Many in the NPP believe his exit wouldn’t hurt the party much.
But if the Obed Asamoah exit of the NDC and the break-away of the reform Party from the NDC in 2000 has taught the NPP any lessons, then they should not be quick to dismiss this exit.
Is this the end of his Political career?
My silent answer in my mind is a sharp …..of course!! But since Politics like football often surprises, I would refrain from boldly saying so. I struggle to see however, how Alan can return to the fold of the NPP after all of this. Die hard NPP members like Hackman Owusu Agyeman told me on the show that “True Danquah- Busia men don’t behave like this”. Alan’s true allegiance to the Party would forever be shaken by his resignation making it impossible for him to return to his once bright spot in the party. How about if he switches to join a new party or forms one himself?
Well, the little I know of contemporary Politics in Ghana is that, once you leave your mother party, you can hardly make any further inroads on the Politics terrain. You lose the support of your mother party and are unable to win any significant number of new supporters.
So who Loses?
For starters Alan Cash is the biggest loser in all of this. Not only has he lost any further chances of winning the NPPs nod as its flagbearer, but he has also lost the options of any serious Political ambitions in the future. But the NPP would also suffer some image issues as a result of his resignation. Some Party officials have been quick to dismiss his resignation. What they didn’t realize is that in doing so, they lent credence to his allegations that he wasn’t welcome in the Party any longer.
Understandably, some of his supporters would follow suit and lose all interests in the Party, affecting the Party somewhat in the December Polls. In the long run both Alan and the Party are the losers.
But he should have been tougher
One Position I have heard many share on this matter is that Alan’s resignation smacks of Political immaturity!! Hackman Owusu Agyeman was the first to suggest that whatever Alan calls hounding is only fair challenge in Politics -where some people throw mud, others legitimately challenge your record, position and supporters etc. Essentially Politics is not a tea party and no one should expect to be treated with ‘kids gloves’. (Copyright – Nana Konadu). If Alan had had the benefit of prior political escapades, he would have been tougher and able to withstand the shocks.
So Alan Cash is no longer an NPP member. The one-time flamboyant hopeful leader of the party no longer belongs to the fold of its leading members. Even though his billboards still litter the capital, he may no longer be that popular in the Party. Im not sure if he can return. Even if he does, he won’t be viewed with the same lenses. Alan has committed Political suicide and has dragged his party along with his exit.
Forty eight hours after his resignation, there are serious moves to get Allan Cash to rescind his decision. Like others, he could return to the party. If even if he does however, I doubt if he would be the same man of same stature in the party. He may follow however in the footsteps of many other Politicians who have suffered serious downturns in their political careers, and take up some issue to campaign on. He could be the next Al Gore.
But do you think the NPP and Alan can recover from this………………….?
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30 Responses to “Alan Kyeremanteng’s Resignation. Who Loses?”
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well, allan cash is entitled to his opinion and actions but as the astute politician i have known him to be i least expected that he would resign in the face of so called intimidation of his supporters. i really think the problem has to do with the thank you campaign tour he undertook concurrently in the volta region when their flagbearer was in the brong ahafo region campaigning. i am sure they did not take kindly this and probably treated him with some “adult gloves”. he took strong exception to this treatment and decided to call it quits.
this is in no doubt politically damaging to the ruling party and also i think allan cash has SERIOUSly damaged his chances of ever becoming a flagbearer of the npp in future even if he recinds his decision later on
well done Alan, NPP preaches democracy as if they brought it in this world. we are united than ever, we are committed to democracy, we are one family and so on, all these are fallacy. had this happen in NDC they would say it is a violent party, atleast we now know which people brought ramification into Ghanaian politics. NPP should continue bloat the voter register with the help of Electoral Commission else they wont have chance this December. God bless Alan.
Alan Cash yes is entitled to his views but the real thing is Nana Addos arrogance coming to the surface. Akufo Ado is not the one to bring Ghana together. Lets wise up and do something now. Bring CPP back to power and lets get NDC and NPP to cooperate in opposition.
I think allan cash has committed political suicide by resigning.am really sad for him since i really admire him.he had a very bright future but know he has blown it .he should have cast his mind back to the 1998 congress which elected kuffour ,akkuffo addo’s men and women where also in the same situation expecially christian chercher , but nana had t ostomach all that join kuffour to compain to win power he had the big picture had made the right choice today he is love and is the running mate .that shows u a matured politician who really loves his party no matter what .allan u really blew it too bad
I believe everyone has the right to resign at any moment. Those who say Alan has forever lost his chance of running on NPP ticket should know that NPP is not likely to stay on power for more than 16yrs. So what’s the use being the candidate in 2012? Ghanaians always ask for change no matter how good one is. Alan made the right choice, but should not dare run as independent - it wont work. A personal advice is to push his “soft-earned” cash behind CPP (in secrecy) to enable him get contracts after 2008. Because he wouldn’t get any from the NPP or NDC even if he rescinds his decision.
There have been media speculations suggesting Mr. Kyerematen is under pressure to contest the December elections as an independent presidential candidate.
Although the speculations are unconfirmed the latest move can only serve to reinforce them.
Mr. Kyerematen has also been linked to a new political party recently outdoored in Kumasi, the Reformed Patriotic Democrats.
It has also been rumoured that the former Trade and Industry Minister will be contesting on the RPD’s ticket for the presidency.
Mr. Kyerematen contested the flag bearership of the NPP with 15 others and came out the first runner-up.
There was supposed to be a run-off since none of the aspirants obtained the 50 per cent plus one as required by the NPP constitution to win the contest.
But Mr. Kyeremanten conceded defeat to Nana Akufo-Addo who polled the most votes saying it was in the interest of the party.
How much truth is in the above allegations? For all intend and purposes, Alan may still believe he has an equal chance of winning the Presidency since none of the contestants obtained the required 50+1 percentage of the votes required to win the nomination, and he was bamboozeled to drop his quest for the Presidency.
I care less what happens if the NPP implodes. It could turn out to be to the advantage of the CPP to see a division within this wasteful masqueraders of a government. Alan Cash realizes the windfall profits due to the nation from the discovery of oil. It may also be a fued between the Ashanti and Akyem factions within the NPP. Whatever the situation, these are all wolves in sheep clothing positioning themselves to rip off Ghana, and we are all the better off to see the implosion of the No Plan Party.
Alan has proved that the choice of the people was right. he has not matured enough to lead a great pary like the NPP. How he have weathered the stom at International conferences where there is more booing and lobbying than what is happening in Ghana?
He is not even matured enogh to represent his constituency.I remember when we were in school a presidential aspirant was thrown at with a rotten egg but he didn’t abandon his ambition.
As for the effect it would have on the party that is obvious since every vote counts in politics. If NPP were going to win by 2000 votes more they will now win by at least only 199. So how can one who understand the game of politics say it would not affect the partuy’s chances?
However, the greatest losser is Alan. He has committed the greatest political suicide of our times.
His is more than the Alhaji Inusah’s, The Dr Josiah’s and the Professor Wayo’s.
It can never be repaired.he should better go and hide in the U.S. as a consultant on PSI.
Abuntam
Kojo,
Thanks for your wonderful piece.
I dont have much to say more than being proverbial, take a robe and cut it. Then try putting it together. How do you do that by glue or what? If you tie the two ends together, the knot will still be there. The moral of the story is simple, just like that robe Alan and the NPP can never be the same if Alan returns to NPP.
Lets see how issues unfold in the next few days.
Allan is my man but he has misread the mood of his followers, allan may be on his own and he really is on his own.
Kojo,I think Alan had made up his mind,its ups to the NPP Executives to consider his case in order to move the party forward.Its unfortunate I would not be voting for the party this time around come December.
Kojo I just read your analyses and it’s just perfect. Allan has hurt himself and the party but he’s hurt himself more than the party. Reason is the party is bigger and can recover easily than ‘ one man Allan.’
As to whether the NPP and Allan can recover, time will tell for the party as for Allan Cash he just committed political suicide.
I was really taken aback when l heard that the man who made a name for himself just in the past eight months has finally resigned from the party he intend leading in the future. His resignition would be a big and a heavy blow to the NPP in this coming election.
Well politicians has people say are like monkies would jump from tree to tree where the need arises. Time will tell!
Kojo,
Supporters of NPP are saying Alan can go to hell,but some of us remember the 1979 episode,it’s guiding some of us .
Allan should quickly take his seat as flagbearer of The Reformed Patrioctic Democrats and strategise for the Flagstaff House come 2012.The likes of Akuffo Addos and Hackmans are too rough for the gentle Allan.Good decision at the right time,God bless Allan! God bless our infant democracy.
Please allow Mr Allan to be his own man. The guy is more aliniated to independent. If he is seeing things that does not fulfill his points he has the right to walk away. NPP is not transperent, look at how they are now condemning Alan for standing against them. it is really sad!!. We want transperency and the truth. They should not tell us green is yellow.
I will suggest Alan should stand as independent Candidate
Alan seems aggrieved and confused.He must have realized by now that he has committed political suicide. Nana had to lose the NPP primaries a few times before his time came. Alan, your true commitment to the NPP and credibility are questionable. Even if u go back, you have the rest of your life to prove your credibility
Hi Kojo, i was expecting you to talk about the energy debate between Nana Akuffo Addo and Honorable John Mahama
Allan cash has commit political sucide to himself. for now ghana is practicing two party system (ndc & npp) and there is no way Allan can join ndc and become their flagbearer. History tells us that the break away party’s are visible only within the year in which they were formed. so Allan can form or join the rdp that is the end of him as far as politics is conern.
coming back to npp, that will be okay but to become flagberer it is impossible because he is a caword and cannot stand the heat.
Allan you are finish
Alan’s exit is an opportunity for the opposition NDC. We all remember the breaking away of Obed from the NDC after their congress. this is a similar thing that Alan has done. But I don’t think he has the capacity to form a political party of his own. He has only equalized what Obed did creating a level playing ground for the december contest.
if he stand as an independent candidate is he going to field MP’s or not? and are they all going to be independent as well? Can Alan join any of the remaining political parties? I recommend DFP for him to join forces with Obed as the “dual rebels”
Hi Kojo,
Before reading your view on the whole issue Alan Cash (..or is it Alan Quit??) issue, I was asking the same question as you did that: how will his exit help his supporters who are being allegedly ‘persecuted’ unfairly and I think if he is that much concerned about his supporters’ welfare, then trying to come up with how is exit helps the poor supporters shouldn’t be too difficult for his spokespersons.
For me the fact that the two spokespersons couldn’t clearly tell us and agree on how his exit will help us could mean either he has failed to think this through and has done this out of frustration or he resigned for other reasons other than what we are being told.
Another issue that I think has not been picked up by discussion radar, is the grievance resolution mechanism in the N.P.P as a party. We are told in today’s papers that a similar situation arose after the NPP’s presidential congress in Sunyani in 1998 when Nana Akuffo-Addo also complained of intimidation of his supporters. What stands out here for me is that even though the same situation had happened in the same party before, they didn’t take steps or if you want, adequate measures to prevent a re-occurence of the situation.
Also, how come the issue was not resolved effectively when Alan brought it to the attention of the party? Why didn’t they invest all the effort they are expensing now into the issue before it got out of hand? Isn’t it typical of the half-hearted way we deal with our issues as a country? In my view, I think if the effort we see now going into trying to convince Alan to come back to the fold of the party, it could to a large extent prevented what we now as a potentially politically costly development in the political landscape of the country.
Another lesson that I think the N.P.P and indeed other political parties in the country can learn from this issue is that what happens before their presidential congress is as much important as the fall outs after the congress. Another view I have is that the Alan support group and Akuffo-Addo support group phenomenon, which did not exist in the party at least prior to any of the contestants declaring their intention to contest, were too entrenched in the run-up to the presidential congress and the fruits of that is what we are witnessing now. In essence, what we see now in the party, is the left-over and ripple effects of having entrenched support group phenomenon in the party.
Kojo, one last question I wish to raise is: How come among the presidential hopefuls in the N.P. P they went to great length to demonstrate their unity but at the grassroot level, the various support groups seemed to be as divided as ever? Is it evidence of the very limited influence political figures have over their supporters?
My good friend, your guess is as good as mine! Have a good day!!
ODASANI
I REALLY WISHED I COULD SAY NO TO THIS QUESTION BUT I DONT THINK I HAVE THE COURAGE TO DO SO. I HEARD TODAY FROM THE NEWS PAPERS THAT AKUFFO ADDO ASKING FELLOW POLITICIANS TO AVOID THE ETHNIC OR TRIBAL CARDS. BUT IS HE NOT DOING SAME? TO SAY OR EVEN THINK FOR A MOMENT THAT ITS THE TURN OF THE AKYEMS SMACKS OF TRIBALISM. I THINK I WILL SIDE WITH KUKU WILSON JONES THAT WE FANTES HAVE TO LOOK FOR A FANTE PRESIDENT AND VOTE FOR HIM. AND FOR THE BEST AND MOST CREDIBLE OF THE FANTE CANDIDATES IS PROF EVANS ATTA MILLS. AS FOR THE OTHER ONE I THINK HE IS A POLITICAL PROSTITUTE IF THERE IS ANYTHING LIKE THAT. WAS HE NOT IN BED WITH THE NPP? SO WHY DOES HE ALL OF A SUDDEN THINK THAT THE NPP GOVT, OF WHICH HE WAS A MEMBER FOR SEVEN BAD YEARS IS NOT GOOD. I REST MY CASE. GOD BLESS US ALL
THIS ALLAN MAN IS A GREAT AND INDEPENDENCE ASSET TO GHANA. HE FORCED ME TO HAVE LOVE FOR NPP. I SIMPLY HAVE PASSION FOR NPP BECAUSE OF THIS NOBLE, GREAT AND DEDICATED MAN. AS HE QUITS NOW, I HOPE NPP HAS ALREADY LOST I AND MY FAMILIES VOTES. THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF THE END FOR OUR GREAT PARTY.
THOSE NANA GUYS HAVE TO KNOW THAT WE CAN CAUSE THE DIFFERENCE IN THE 50% 1 IN THE GENERAL ELECTIONS. THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO BE A LITTLE BIT TOLERANCE AND POLITE IN THEIR SPEECHES. ALLAN IS REALLY A MAN ON HIS OWN AND KNOWS WHAT IS GOOD FOR OUR DEAR NATION. IF THE PARTY IS CHASING IT’S MEMBERS OUT THEN WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO OPPOSITION PARTIES MEMBERS IN CASE THEY WIN. NO WAY, ALLAN YOU ARE INDEED A GREAT MAN. GO ALLAN, GO GHANA!
If people are voting on issues it should not matter! It was recently announced that there has been 3 billion dollars worth of investment in Ghana thus far in 2008! This is due to the good work of the NPP! On Merit the NPP is better in almost every quantifiable category of development. The party is bigger than Mr. Kyeremanteng and, very few people will defect! If people do defect it just shows that some people are voting on flimsy things and, are not really patriotic! I believe the NPP should stop begging Alan and, they should just let him go! That is to say, Alan failed to humble himself and wait his turn! Namely, Alan was allowed to jump over several people who had been in the NPP much longer and, was the favorite to win in 8 years but, after this the field is wide open again!
Overall, NPP deserves to win because of the good work they have done! It will be a travesty if NPP loses the next election!
Mr. Alan John Kyeremateng has resigned,who loses? I think both Alan and the NPP are going to lose.For Alan to lose is to join a different party which is not so popular.But Alan is an individual and so his lost would not be felt greatly.NPP will be the ones that will lose greatly and it could cause them in the forthcoming elections, for Alan commands a great number of supporters in the party and even from other parties.Let me ask this question: if the NPP thinks it won’t lose, why are the heavy weights in the party kneeling down to beg Alan to rescind his decision to quit the party?
let him go away. he is too known.
kojo,it seems to that the print ,electonic and other form media is doing s deservice to our nation.our comments on air should be devoid of prejudice and should be directed to issues other than politics.
kodjo i like your show very much but do you know something i. c. quaye victory speech yesterday was full of gramatical error and pls tell i c to take time when he talks to the general public since is not for sunami thank u very much.
from. koforidua polytechnic
AMOS ,I think Alan had made up his mind,its ups to the NPP Executives to consider his case in order to move the party forward.Its unfortunate I would not be voting for the party this time around come December.
Mr. Alan John Kyeremateng has resigned,who loses? I think both Alan and the NPP are going to lose.For Alan to lose is to join a different party which is not so popular.But Alan is an individual and so his lost would not be felt greatly.NPP will be the ones that will lose greatly and it could cause them in the forthcoming elections, for Alan commands a great number of supporters in the party and even from other parties.Let me ask this question: if the NPP thinks it won’t lose, why are the heavy weights in the party kneeling down to beg Alan to rescind his decision to quit the party?
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