Alan Caught In Secret Funding Accusation, To Reduce NPP Votes In Ashanti
The political scene of the country, appears to be heating up, with barely ten months to the December 7 general elections, following the allegation that, Mr Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen’s Movement for Change is being secretly founded by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and its flagbearer.
This, follows a leaked letter by a group said to be affiliated to the opposition party, speaking against the NDC’s overreliance on the leader and founder of the Movement for Change to influence votes in the Ashanti Region.
Social Democratic Forum (SDF) in letter addressed to NDC flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama, and sighted by The Anchor, said it was counterproductive for the party to doll out money to the former NPP stalwart with the hope that, he will cause massive upset in the Ashanti region, being the stronghold of the governing party, to give the NDC, a leeway to win the election.
“We the Social Democratic Forum of the NDC, write to express our deep concerns regarding the party’s overreliance on Alan Kyerematen’s influence in the Ashanti Region, it is crucial to recognize that his impact is not as significant as perceived.
Furthermore, it is essential to consider the fact that Ashantis who are aligned with the NPP, will not vote for any party because of Mr Kyerematen”, the statement dated February 13, and signed by SDF Executive Secretary, Mubashir Kuoru Tikumah said.
Instead of relying on the former Trade and Industry Minister, SDF said “We strongly advise the party to redirect its focus towards empowering the grassroots of the NDC. By allocating even half of the financial and resource support currently provided to Mr Kyerematen. It is through the dedication and mobilization of our grassroots members that we can build a strong foundation for success.
Inclusion, we urge you to heed the wise African saying, “A bird does not build its nest on a tree without strong branches. Let us be cautious and mindful of the potential dangers of overreliance on any individuals or movement. By prioritizing the empowerment of our grassroots, we can ensure a prosperous future for the NDC”.
The information in the letter which was leaked on the internet over the weekend, was taken to mean that, the Alan Campaign, is being funded by the NDC and Mr Mahama.
Denial
But in a quick response to the group, the Campaign Team of Mr Mahama, said it has no affiliation with the faceless group, neither are they known to the opposition party.
A statement from the Team and signed by Mr Mahama’s Special Aide, Joyce Bawah Mogtari, said the move was an attempt by the governing party to play mind games with unsuspecting Ghanaians due to the dwindling fortunes of the NPP in its stronghold.
“The Mahama 2024 Campaign would like to clarify that we have no affiliation with the said group, which is unknown to the NDC. This non-existent group is yet another creation of the NPP, who are in panic mode due to growing discontent in the Ashanti Region against their misrule, economic mismanagement, corruption, nepotism, and arrogance of power”.
It noted that, “the NPP has failed to live up to the expectations of the people of the Ashanti Region, which has led to significant support for the NDC in the region. The statement by the faceless group is nothing but a misguided and desperate effort to downplay the severe backlash faced by the NPP’s flagbearer for his attempt to distance himself from his own government’s poor governance”.
According to the Campaign Team, “The NDC, the largest and most well-structured opposition party in Ghana, is willing to cooperate with all relevant forces interested in dislodging the NPP from power. However, we have never relied on any organisation or party to carry out our duties and responsibilities as a political party.
The focus of the NDC and the Mahama 2024 Campaign is to organise and mobilise for the December elections with our message of Building the Ghana we want together”.
No Collaboration
Meanwhile, the Alan’s Movement for Change, has also reacted to the allegation.
In a response to the allegations by the SDF, the Movement for Change, has denied any collaborative links with the NDC.
The movement reiterated its stance as a distinct entity aiming to transcend the existing political duopoly of the NPP and NDC.
Asserting that both NPP and NDC, do not align with the country’s interests, the Movement for Change emphasized its commitment to championing constitutional defense and economic prosperity for all Ghanaians. The movement called on citizens to vote for Alan Kyerematen in the 2024 Elections, advocating for a Government of National Unity under his leadership.
The Movement for Change represented by its spokesperson, Duke Aaron Sasu Esq., said it remains resolute in its objective to engage all Ghanaians in a transformative journey and to establish a fresh path for the nation, beyond the NPP-NDC paradigm.
Fake contact
Effort by this paper to contact Social Democratic Forum, to ascertain the authenticity of the letter and the rebuttal by the Mahama campaign team, proved futile, as the two MTN and Vodafone numbers (0249621772 and 0200131918) provided on the letterhead could not go through.
The two parties have for some time now been employing schemes to gather the region’s votes to enhance their chances in the general election.
The region which is touted as the ‘World Bank’ of the NPP, has become a very important area ahead of the coming election as the NDC, says it is going to work to increase it votes.
Mr Kyerematen, who resigned from the NPP last year after placing third in the party’s Super Delegates Conference, is also hoping to grab a lot of the votes in the region in his bid to become the first independent president in 2025.
