Former President John Agyekum Kufuor has firmly rejected long-standing claims that he preferred Alan Kyerematen over Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo during the New Patriotic Party’s 2008 presidential primaries.
Describing the allegations as misleading and unfair, Mr Kufuor stressed that he neither plotted against Akufo-Addo nor supported Alan’s bid in any form.
“I never supported him against anybody. I didn’t give him anything to aid him go and defeat anybody,” he stated.
According to the former President, the narrative has persisted over the years despite lacking any factual basis. He maintained that he consistently stayed neutral in internal party contests and did not interfere in the flagbearership race.
Mr Kufuor further revealed that claims of favoritism were inconsistent with the reality of events at the time. He disclosed that shortly after the NPP assumed office in 2001, he personally invited Alan Kyerematen to join his government, an offer Alan declined.
“When I contacted him to make him a Minister, he turned down the offer,” he said.
The clarification comes amid renewed internal discussions within the NPP following the party’s defeat in the 2024 general elections.
In a recent interview on The Delay Show, Mr Kufuor openly criticized the Akufo-Addo administration, attributing the party’s electoral loss to a number of controversial policy decisions. He cited the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP), the PDS power deal controversy, and the National Cathedral project as key issues that damaged public confidence.
While acknowledging that the Akufo-Addo government started on a positive note, Mr. Kufuor noted that decisions taken after the COVID-19 pandemic raised serious concerns among voters.
He added that these setbacks contrasted sharply with the momentum built in 2016, when the NPP largely campaigned on the achievements of his own administration—an advantage he said helped establish trust and credibility with the electorate at the time.
