Claims that President Akufo-Addo, has warned his ministers and other appointees to stay away from his government, if they are desirous of succeeding him as President, might not have yielded any results, as more and more of them have overtly and covertly declared their campaigns less than three months into the NPP’s second term in office.
It is an open secret within the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) that the next flagbearer race is a straight fight between the Vice-President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and Minister for Trade and Industry, Alan Kwadwo Kyeremanteng, and the two are in a Cold War situation towards annexing the slot in less than 21 months from now.
Already Dr. Bawumia’s team and that of Mr Kyeremanteng, appear all set for the onslaught, including printing and pasting posters announcing their intentions.
But while the Vice-President’s team appears somewhat discreet about his moves with faces largely hidden from the public domain, the Kyeremanteng team has been unrestrained.
Indeed, last Thursday, March 11, 2021, the Minister for Trade and Industry, stormed the residence of the Editor in-Chief of The New Crusading Guide, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako to commiserate with him and his family on the passing of his mother, Madam Gloria Aba Addison.
Interestingly, days before Mr Kyeremanteng’s visit, the Vice President, had visited to console Mr Baako and the bereaved family.
But while the Vice-President was seen alone with Mr Baako and his wife; Ayisha, Mr Kyeremanteng, literally used the occasion to announce his campaign team.
Among Kyeremanteng’s 11-member delegation to the Baako’s residence was the ex-NPP General Secretary, Nana Ohene Ntow, who had been off the political radar in the last few years since Nana Addo became the NPP Flagbearer and moved to the Presidency after the 2016 election.
Already, there are speculations that Mr Kyeremanteng is likely to resign from the Akufo-Addo government in a year’s time to focus on his ambition to lead the NPP into the 2024 Presidential election.
