I wasn’t Kufuor’s favourite in 2007 flagbearer race

Alan Kyerematen, the leader of the newly established political group, the Movement for Change, has spoken out against claims that former President John Kufuor orchestrated his candidacy during the 2007 presidential primaries of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

Kyerematen, who recently resigned from the NPP to run as an independent presidential candidate in the 2024 elections, said attributing his candidacy solely to Kufuor’s influence is inaccurate and based on hearsay.

He made the comments during an interview with Bernard Avle on Citi TV‘s “The Point of View.” The former presidential aspirant of the NPP clarified that he was treated similarly to other aspirants during the 2007 race by President Kufuor.

“It is unfair to President Kufour for people to create the impression that because I was his favourite, he did all in his power to install me as his heir apparent and the reason I am saying that is that in 2005, all the people who eventually contested [the 2007 presidential primaries] had started doing underground moves and operations and I had made up my mind at that time that I would contest.

“When I went to inform him [President Kufour] that I had an interest and that my other colleagues had started moves undercover and that if he sees me also operating he should not be surprised, he told me to wait and do my work and that if people felt that I was the right person, they themselves would promote me.

“I went back three months after to tell him that people are campaigning openly and so I want to serve you notice that I will be going and he said, I cannot stop you but I want to tell you that, I will not support you and if there are people that I will support, it will be Nana Akufo-Addo, Aliu Mahama, Papa Owusu Ankomah, and then yourself and if any of you wins, I will be happy.”