Is Alan Qualified to contest as NPP flag bearer?

Questions must be raised about the eligibility of Mr John Alan Kwadjo Kyeramaten should he make up his mind to contest the flag bearership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) at the next Congress of the party.

Article (12) Section a Clause 1 of the NPP Constitution states “The election of the Party’s Presidential Candidate shall take place at National Congress held not later than twenty-four (24) months from the date of the National Election"

Clause 4 of the same Article states "No member shall be entitled to nomination as the Party's Presidential Candidate unless he or she'.

(i) Is a known and active Member of at least five (5) years."

By the former provision, the latest the NPP could organise a Congress to elect a Presidential Candidate is December 2010. Considering this, Alan Kyeremateng is technically disqualified having resigned as a Member of the NPP in April 2008 and returning in May, 2008. From May 2008 to December 2010 would be three (3) years meaning Alan would be short of two (2) years to meet the requirement that says 'No Member shall be entitled to nomination as the Party's Presidential Candidate unless he or she is a known and active Member of at least five (5) years'.

Meanwhile unlike the selection of Parliamentary Candidates where in appropriate cases the, the National Executive, in consultation with the Regional and Constituency may dispense with the requirement on the number of years a candidate should be a known active Member, it is not same for the selection of a Presidential Candidate. The National Executive Committee in this case cannot dispense with this requirement.

Alan's resignation from NPP caused a lot of sensation in the party. At a meeting, involving President John Agyekum Kufuor, NPP National Chairman Peter Mac Manu, Nana Akufo-Addo and Alan Kyerematen, resolved that the failed Presidential aspirants concerns be looked into by an ad hoc committee.

It was also agreed at the so called reconciliation meeting that Mr Kyeremanteng’s letter of resignation would only take effect after the committee’s sitting. But I see that to be bizarre. Apolitical party is an association and under the laws of the country, one either joins or walks out of an association. How can the party then say his resignation was put on hold?

I was more surprised when Mr Kyerematen was told to write details of his complaints, which revolves around allegations that several of his supporters had been unfairly treated after the Congress. This was even after several party members have come out to deny this.

Recently a group calling itself "Friends of Alan Cash Campaign" and led by Joseph Boakye-Kwakwa in said they had launch a campaign to build a support base and also rally behind the bid of Alan Kyeramaten for the flag bearership of the NPP for the 2012 elections. The stated objectives of the group according to Mr Boakye-Kwakwa are to resist any attempt to retain Nana Akuffo-Addo as the NPP's flag bearer.

Again the group only last week issued a statement that Alan Kyerementeng will contest the 2012 Congress of the NPP flag bearership slot. They also claim the defeat of the NPP in the last election was due to the carelessness and negligence of the Party Executive and Campaign Managers, who threw away political power on a silver platter without a fight. According to them the whole of management and communication of the party was a failure and that the party had failed to maintain power in spite of the financial, material and human resources.

These statements have the tendency to bring division into the party because it is premature to be talking about who leads the NPP. While the leadership are seriously working to keep the party united and to also strengthen the party's structures across the country, Kwakwa and his group are more interested in Alan Kyeremateng leading the party when he is not after all qualified.