Catherine Afeku also ditches Alan Kyerematen

After Alan Kyerematen declared his desire to run as an independent in the 2024 elections and his departure from the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Catharine Afeku, a former minister of tourism, cut ties with him.

Catharine Afeku, who participated actively in the Alan for President campaign during the NPP’s presidential primaries, has stated that she will continue to be a member of the NPP and not switch to another party.

Speaking to media in Accra, Madam Afeku declared she would keep her position as an NPP member.

“I am a loyal patriot, and I am in the party [NPP]. The party is supreme. We are the NPP,” she stated.

Abena Osei-Asare, a deputy finance minister, also expressed her disagreement with Alan’s choice on Monday.

While acknowledging her friendship and professional relationship with Mr. Kyerematen, one of his supporters, Mrs. Osei-Asare, emphasized that her “dedication to the New Patriotic Party is deep-seated, and rooted” in their shared beliefs.

In a press statement, the Deputy Finance Minister said, “First and foremost, while I enjoy both a personal and professional relationship with Hon. Alan Kyerematen, characterised by mutual respect and a shared commitment to our nation’s progress, I must respectfully distance myself from his recent choice.”

“My dedication to the New Patriotic Party is deep-seated, rooted in our shared values and vision for a prosperous Ghana. The NPP’s strength has always been its unity and our ability to work together for the common good of our country.”

The roughly 20 NPP MPs who backed Mr. Kyerematen in the Special Delegates Conference have indicated that they would not support his movement, according to Davis Opoku Ansah, Member of Parliament (MP) for the Mpraeso Constituency in the Eastern Region.

Speaking in an interview on Eyewitness News, he said, “I would not say that political parties do not or will not have differences. There may be differences, I mean factions here and there, people taking sides, forming into a faction and all of that, but the ability to come together in an internal political context shows how strong your party is. And for me, that commitment is there.”

“And I know that over 20 MPs who supported Alan Kyerematen have all resolved that we solemnly believe in the NPP, and we are going to follow the NPP and we are going to represent power again. And we are going to work tirelessly to ensure that the NPP wins power again in 2024. None of the MPs that support Alan Kyerematen will follow him in his movement but we wish him well.”