Leadership of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), has said it will officially address its members and sympatisers on former flagbearer aspirant Alan Kyerematen, who has announced his resignation from the party.

Mr Kyerematen announced his resignation from the NPP, on Monday, 25 September 2023.

Mr Kyerematen announced he would be contesting the high office of President of the Republic of Ghana in the 2024 general elections as an independent presidential candidate.

Mr Kyerematen announced this at a press conference in Accra on Monday, 25 September 2023.

His emblem is the butterfly with the motto: “Ghana will rise again”.

Mr Kyerematen said he took the decision because he has realised his sacrifices are not appreciated by the NPP.

Chronicling events that has led to his decision the former Trades Minister stated in his speech: “In 2007, I joined a distinguished group of seventeen (17) Presidential aspirants to contest in the presidential primaries of NPP. In that election, under very strange circumstances, the electoral process was truncated on the day of the election, on account of accusations levelled against me, of influencing the course of the elections. This strategy was designed to create disfavour against me, in an attempt to diminish my popularity and the massive support I enjoyed amongst the grassroot activists of the Party.

“In spite of this unfortunate occurrence however, when the votes were finally counted, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo came first, and I was the runner-up. According to the rules of the electoral process, the two of us were programmed for a second run ballot. It was in response to this development, that I made my landmark declaration that, to avoid a further deterioration of peace in an already divided Party, I would make the supreme political sacrifice not to contest the run-off but rather support Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to contest as the flagbearer for NPP in the 2008 general elections.

“Despite the sacrifice that I made to unite the Party as referred to above, there were very serious post-primary attacks on my supporters all over the country, and an open show of hostility. “Some of my supporters were victims of brutalities and continue to bear the scars of that treatment. I made several representations to the then leadership of the Party, drawing their attention to the rancorous and divisive behaviour of some elements in the Party.

“Regrettably, however, my representations went unheeded. As a consequence, I gave notice of my decision to resign from the Party, in protest against the blatant alienation of my supporters, orchestrated by elements aligned to the leadership of the Party.

“The protests and reactions from the rank and file of the Party at that time from all over the country, compelled the then Chairman of the Party to constitute a Reconciliation Committee chaired by the then immediate past Chairman of the Party, Ambassador Samuel Odoi Sykes. The Committee upheld all my submissions and prevailed upon me to rescind my decision to resign, which I did, with the firm promise to address all the contentious issues I had raised in my notice of resignation.

“As a loyal member of the Party, I accepted the plea of the party leadership and joined the campaign team of then Candidate Akufo-Addo all over the country, providing exceptional support to his campaign.

“Unfortunately, however, all the promises made by the Party leadership were never fulfilled, and indeed the divisive and hostile attacks on my person and my supporters remained for several years thereafter, and have continued to date.

“It is common knowledge that any Party member who is associated directly or indirectly with Alan, is treated with disdain and considered an outcast. I have endured all this resentment, and maintained my integrity within the Party throughout the past fifteen years.”

Reacting to the announcement by Mr Kyerematen in a statement issued and signed by its General Secretary Justin Kodua Frimpong, urged its members to “remain calm” and await an “official address” by the party to the former flagbearer aspirant on Tuesday, 26 September 2023 at the Party headquarters.