Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, a presidential candidate hopeful on the New Patriotic Party (NPP) ticket, has made allegations against some individuals close to Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, claiming that they were working covertly to discredit another presidential candidate hopeful, Alan Kyerematen.
In his analysis of the Assin North by-election, Agyapong highlighted a disunited front within the NPP and claimed that during the last rally in Assin North on Sunday, the protocol surrounding the Vice President intentionally disrupted Kyerematen's speech.
Agyapong stated that this was a deliberate attempt to disgrace Kyerematen and portray him as unpopular.
He mentioned a specific incident where a person, whom he referred to as a “small boy” from his hometown working at State House, climbed the platform and instructed Kyerematen to stop talking when the Vice President arrived, describing it as an act of impudence.
According to Agyapong, the protocol team and the “small boys” purposely made Dr. Bawumia wait behind the crowd, even though he had arrived at the venue earlier. They allegedly signaled Bawumia to enter the grounds only when they saw Kyerematen had started speaking.
Agyapong further claimed that when President Akufo-Addo and Chief of Staff Frema Osei Opare arrived at the venue and were ushered onto the platform through the back route, the “small boys” around Bawumia deliberately made him pass through the crowd, disrupting Alan's address to draw attention to the Vice President.
It was during this time that the aforementioned “small boy” from Agyapong's hometown allegedly told Kyerematen to stop speaking.
Questioning the motive behind such actions, Agyapong criticized the subsequent call for “reconciliation” and labeled the move as “nasty.”
Agyapong revealed that two people involved in erecting the platform confided in him the next day, stating that they were deceived by others. They claimed that after setting up the platform, additional steps were brought in for a “special project,” raising suspicions about the true intentions behind the setup.
These allegations were made by Agyapong during his campaign tour as he seeks consideration as the NPP flagbearer.
NPP presidential primary
In the NPP presidential primary, Ken Agyapong, Alan Kyerematen, and Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia are considered the frontrunners among the five candidates likely to easily pass the first hurdle on August 26.
The other aspirants include Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, Boakye Agyarko, Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku, Joe Ghartey, Francis Addai-Nimoh, and Ernest Kwadwo Poku.
It is speculated that Bawumia, Kyerematen, and Agyapong have already cleared the first hurdle and are waiting for two others to join them for the primary on November 4.
The party has scheduled a special congress on August 26, 2023, to elect five candidates for the November 4 primary.
A nine-member vetting committee, led by former Speaker of Parliament Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye, has been inaugurated to oversee the vetting process, which will take place from July 3 to July 6, 2023.
The committee will submit its report on July 10.
