Omanghana
Founder and leader of the United Party, Alan Kyerematen, has claimed that his departure from the New Patriotic Party contributed significantly to the party’s reduced voter turnout and performance in the 2024 general elections.
Speaking during an interview on Adom FM, the former Trade and Industry Minister questioned why a substantial number of people traditionally associated with the NPP failed to vote for the party.
Kyerematen argued that his exit left a section of the NPP’s support base disappointed and unwilling to participate in the election. According to him, some party members later admitted directly to him that they withheld their votes because of the circumstances surrounding his departure.
He said the feedback demonstrated that his influence within the NPP was greater than some party officials and supporters had initially acknowledged.
Before the election, some NPP members dismissed suggestions that his resignation and independent presidential campaign would damage the party’s electoral prospects. They maintained that his departure would have little or no effect on the party’s core support.
Kyerematen, however, said post-election discussions and internal evaluations had shown that the loss of a section of the party’s traditional base had consequences for its performance.
His claim adds to the continuing debate over the factors that contributed to the NPP’s defeat, including voter apathy, internal divisions and dissatisfaction among some supporters.
Former NPP General Secretary John Boadu has also suggested that the party made a mistake by allowing Kyerematen to leave, although the extent of his departure’s effect on the election remains a matter of political debate.
Kyerematen withdrew from the NPP presidential primary in September 2023 after raising concerns about the party’s internal electoral process and the treatment of his supporters.
He formally resigned from the NPP on September 25, 2023, and subsequently contested the 2024 presidential election as an independent candidate under the Movement for Change.
While Kyerematen maintains that his exit discouraged many NPP sympathizers from voting for the party, no single factor alone has been officially established as the cause of its electoral performance.
Source: Omanghana
