Can Alan Replicate Kufuor?

Even before the New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential aspirants pick their nomination forms next month, it is obvious that the two main contenders are Alan Kyeremanten and Nana Akufo-Addo. This is because other who have declared their intention to contest are not considered as serious threats, as they currently cannot boat of any serious following in the party. Political scientists, election watchers and the general public may be surprised if Alan Kyeremanten is able to beat two-times flagbearer Nana Akufo-Addo. However, it must be said that in 1996, John Agyekum Kufuor was able to beat Professor Albert Adu Boahen, who at the time was considered the most popular candidate in the NPP. In 2007, a total of 2,293 delegates participated in the party�s National Delegates� Congress to elect Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo as the flagbearer for the 2008 general elections. He garnered 1,096 votes, representing 47.96%, to beat Alan Kyeremanten, who got 738 votes, representing 32.3% of the total 2,293 votes cast. Even though the elections should have gone in to a second round, as both candidates fell short of the 50% plus one vote, Alan conceded defeat and congratulated Nana Akufo-Addo. In the 2010 primaries, Nana Akufo-Addo polled 83,361, representing 77.92% of total valid votes cast, to beat Alan, who could manage only 21,820 votes, representing 20.40%. On the two occasions that Nana Akufo-Addo beat Alan in the NPP primaries, he ended up losing the general elections to the candidates of the National Democratic Congress (NDC). As Nana Akufo-Addo and Alan lock horns for the third time in the NPP primaries to be held in December, the delegates will have the choice to either maintain Nana Akufo-Addo or try Alan. Alan Kyeremanten Alan, a two-time presidential aspirant of the NPP in 2007 and 2010, is said to be perceived as appealing to floating or undecided voters, and he and his supporters are touting this credential. After declaring his intention to contest, statements Alan and his supporters made on various media platforms emphasized that a new candidate should represent the NPP in the 2016 elections because Nana Akufo-Addo had lost two elections to the NDC as flagbearer. However, Alan stands accused by some NPP die-hard supporters as someone who is not committed to the party, because he resigned from the party in 2008. Alan was aid to have stated in the letter that his supporters were being harassed since his defeat at the party�s Legon Congress, and therefore he was left with no option than to quit. Alan, however, said he would rejoin the party at the appropriate time. Nana Akufo-Addo On the other hand, Nana Akufo-Addo is seen as a man committed to the cause of the NPP, and this is his strongest trump card. He first competed in the NPP presidential primaries in 1998, where he polled 628, representing 31.65%, to place second in a contest won by John Agyekum Kufuor, who polled 1,286, representing 64.82%. This year�s primaries will be Nana Akufo-Addo�s fourth, and political analysts, election watchers and NPP diehard supporters have tipped him to win the December primaries.