The Majority Leader in Parliament, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu has advised the national executive of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to continue engaging former Trade and Industry Minister, Alan Kyerematen in order to get the latter to return to the party.
The Suame MP says he was surprised when Alan Kyerematen pulled out of the NPP flagbearer race and subsequently resigned from the party.
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu believes it is possible for Mr. Kyerematen to rescind his resignation from the party as the ideology of the NPP is still dear to the now founder of the Movement for Change.
‘’I was surprised by his resignation. When he pulled out of the race I thought the party should be engaging him. The party chairman tried his best to do that. Unfortunately, he did not succeed. I still think that human as we are, it is still possible to call him back. My Bible teaches me, Christ Jesus it was, who said to us, you have sheep numbering hundred and one goes missing or goes astray, you leave the 99 to fetch the one that has gone astray.
I think that every effort still must be made even if there is a one percentage possibility. Let’s see what will come out of it and see if it’s possible to bring him back. If he doesn’t and he says still I’m going my own way, that should be his choice.’’
The Suame MP noted that he was aware that a committee was set up to address the concerns Alan Kyerematen raised after the super delegates conference.
‘’The matters have been referred to a committee in the party, if you ask me, I can’t tell if it has been concluded or not,” he stated.
In an interview with TV3 on October 9, 2023, the Majority Leader would not say whether the chances of the NPP would be affected in the 2024 general elections, particularly in the Ashanti Region if Alan Kyerematen should contest as an independent candidate.
“You see, these are early days and you are talking about a situation where we are saying that, let’s still engage to see if he will come back right? So, for now to go into specifics will be a bit of a difficulty. It may hamper the reconciliation that I’m suggesting that it’s still possible to bring him back,’’ he explained.
The 7 terms Member of Parliament stated that it has been difficult for persons who break away from political parties to win elections in the country, citing Dr. Charles Wereko- Brobbey of United Ghana Movement, Goosie Tandoh, Obed Asamoah, and Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings all of the NDC.
‘’In 1998, Dr. Wereko- Brobbey of the NPP pulled out to form his own party, what was the result? Before then, Goosie Tandoh and others had also attempted to pull out of the NDC, they even went to form their own party, right? What happened? The list goes on and on,” he asserted.
It would be recalled that former Trade and Industry Minister, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen resigned from the NPP on September 25, 2023, citing intimidation, physical assault on his supporters, and an unlevelled playing field that favours a particular candidate ahead of the NPP’s flagbearer race on November 4, 2023.
He subsequently announced the formation of a Movement for Change to contest the 2024 presidential election as an independent candidate.