Former President John Agyekum Kufuor has strongly dismissed long-standing claims that he secretly supported Alan Kyerematen over Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo during the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) presidential primaries in 2008.
Speaking in a recent interview, Mr Kufuor described the persistent rumour as unfounded, misleading, and unfair, stressing that he never worked against Akufo-Addo’s ambition nor offered Alan any form of advantage during the internal contest.
“I never supported him against anybody,” Kufuor stated firmly.
“I didn’t give him anything to aid him go and defeat anybody.”
He expressed concern that the false narrative has survived within political circles for years, despite having no factual basis. According to the former President, his leadership style has always emphasised neutrality in internal party contests, allowing delegates to make decisions without interference.
Recalling events following the NPP’s victory in the 2000 elections, Mr Kufuor noted that he had made efforts to include Alan Kyerematen in his government. However, Alan declined the appointment.
“When I contacted him to make him a Minister, he turned down the offer,” he revealed.
This disclosure, he suggested, directly contradicts claims that he favoured Alan or pushed him ahead of other contenders within the party.
Kufuor’s clarification arrives at a time when internal discussions within the NPP have intensified following the party’s defeat in the 2024 general elections. Many supporters and analysts have been revisiting past events in an attempt to understand the party’s trajectory over the last two decades.
In his interview on The Delay Show, the former President did not shy away from assessing the performance of the Akufo-Addo administration. He pointed to several controversial policies and governance decisions that, in his view, contributed to voter dissatisfaction.
Among the major setbacks he mentioned were:
- Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP)
- The PDS power sector controversy
- The stalled National Cathedral project
According to him, these issues weakened public trust and damaged the party’s image significantly as the 2024 elections approached.
Kufuor acknowledged that Akufo-Addo’s government began on a strong note but argued that decisions made after the COVID-19 pandemic raised concerns among the electorate and marked a sharp departure from the momentum the party enjoyed in 2016.
He noted that the NPP’s 2016 success was built heavily on the credibility, economic stability, and institutional reforms his own administration had established — a foundation he believes was later eroded.
