Former New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer hopeful Alan Kyerematen has slammed the party’s Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako (a.k.a. Chairman Wontumi), for ‘attacking’ him following his breakaway from the party.
Speaking in an interview on UTV, on Tuesday, September 27, 2023, a visibly angry Alan Kyerematen questioned the temerity of Wontumi to be making statements against him.
Alan, who has announced he will be contesting in the 2024 presidential elections as an independent candidate, said that he is the one who made Wontumi what he is in the NPP.
“Who brought Wontumi to the party? Today, Wontumi is going round making all kinds of noise. If he has someone to thank, it should be Alan Kyerematen. I’m the one who held his hands to the party. Who is Wontumi?
“There are some things we should not be saying but we have been quiet for too long. I brought Wontumi to the NPP and I brought him to the party for a good reason. He was a small-time businessman. Today, when we are talking about party issues, Wontumi is the one dictating,” he said in Twi.
The presidential hopeful said that he helped make Wontumi, the NPP constituency Chairman for Bosumtwi after he (Wontumi) asked for his help and pledged to support his presidential ambition.
“I held his hand and made him a chairman… After he became chairman, he was always following me, he was more than a chief campaigner… I am saying this to praise because he was smart enough to see that Alan was the one who could guide him into politics.
“But he has to be careful with the things he has been doing for the sake of the future. If someone helps you become somebody don’t take the person for granted,” he added.
He said that he was the one who spoke to the NPP constituency Chairman in the Ashanti Region for them to make Wontumi the regional chairman.
Alan’s criticism of Wontumi comes after the latter criticised the former’s decision to break away from the NPP and contest as an independent candidate in the 2024 presidential elections.
Wontumi, in an interview on his TV station, Wontumi TV, on Monday, said Alan was ungrateful for the decision he took and that he (Alan) has only invited curses on himself by leaving the NPP.
“…President Kufour made you an ambassador and you were so happy. You (Alan), your girlfriends, your wife and your children enjoyed it so much. You sent them to good schools. President Kufuor also made you trade minister and because of this, you became so rich that you were nick-named Alan Cash.
“…You have enjoyed in the past because of the NPP. As for me, I think this resignation is a curse to him because the NPP has helped him. Look at how the party has helped you. If everyone in the NPP got what you have gotten from the party, none of them would complain of being mistreated,” he said in the Twi dialect.
The Ashanti Regional NPP chairman also issued a press statement directing all the chairpersons in the 47 constituencies in his region to promptly remove all campaign materials, including posters, banners, and flyers, bearing Kyerematen’s image and name from their party offices.
“In view of Hon. Alan Kyerematen’s resignation from the party, all his posters, banners, flyers, and paraphernalia at our party offices in all the constituencies must be removed with immediate effect. Once he has forfeited his membership, it is just right and fair that these items are removed from our offices,” the memo signed by Wontumi stated.
Source: ghanaweb.com
