Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, a former Minister of Trade and Industry, who left the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) to start a change movement with the butterfly as its emblem, has extended an open invitation to Kennedy Agyapong to join him.
He wants the Assin Central Member of Parliament (MP) to abandon the NPP presidential race and join him in the 2024 general election, claiming that Mr. Agyapong’s campaign message is identical to his.
Alan’s open offer comes after the NPP flagbearer hopeful publicly chastised some ministers and fellow MPs for refusing to support his bid to lead the party.
According to Mr. Agyapong, despite his assistance to many members of the party, practically all of them had abandoned him and supported his opponent in the race, Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
Mr. Kyerematen, speaking on Kumasi-based Silver FM, advised Mr. Agyapong to hold his breath and join the butterfly movement, referring to him as his younger brother.
The former NPP member contended that a ticket consisting of him and Kennedy Agyapong would be the ticket to beat in the 2024 presidential election.
Mr. Kyerematen resigned from the NPP on Monday, September 25, 2023, to launch his butterfly movement, declaring that he will run for president as an independent candidate in 2024.
It followed his inability to gain an appreciable number of votes at the NPP Special Delegates’ Conference.
He told the media during the press conference that he had taken the decision to quit the NPP because the political grouping had failed to appreciate his services and contributions since the formation of the party in 1992.
“It is abundantly clear to me that my services and contributions to the Party are not appreciated, and that my continuous stay in the Party will create further tension and division, which is an exact replay of circumstances that led to my decision to resign from the Party in 2008.
“Under the circumstances and given the context provided, I wish to use this platform to announce that I am honourably resigning with immediate effect from the New Patriotic Party to contest for the high office of the President of the Republic of Ghana in the 2024 General Elections, as an Independent Presidential Candidate,” he stated.