Alan Kyeremanten Distancing Self From Bloody Suhum NPP Clash

Trade Minister, Alan John Kwadwo Kyeremanten, has distanced himself from the violent clash between two factions within the Suhum Constituency branch of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).

In a statement, Mr. Kyeremanten dispels reports that the machete, stones and bottle attack was between his supporters and that of Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia.

According to him, the rumours are mischievous concoctions.

“Rumors currently circulating on social media that the clash was between my supporters and those of our Vice President are not only completely false but mischievous and have been contrived to bring both the Vice President and my good self into public ridicule,” the Trade Minister said.

On Saturday, two persons were injured after members of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Suhum constituency clashed at a funeral for the late father of a member of the party.

The party’s Lower West Akyem Communications Officer, Bernard Kwesi Amoani, was hacked on the forehead with a machete, allegedly by one Jamalo, the driver of the Suhum MP, Kwadwo Asante.

The second victim, Alexander Odei, also sustained serious injuries in the bloodbath.

According to reports, the funeral had been for the late father of one of the communicators of the ruling party called Opare and those who had fought were supporters of the Suhum MP and a Presidential Staffer called Frank Asiedu Bekoe, aka “Protozoa”.

Bekoe is reported to be seeking to contest for Asante’s seat in the NPP’s next Parliamentary primaries and this has been a source of bile between the supporters of the two.

However, soon after the incident, reports emerged on social media to the effect that the factions belonged to Vice President Bawumia and Trade Minister Alan Kyeremanten, whose prospective candidature for the 2024 presidential ticket of the NPP has stirred up a rivalry that many fear will cause an implosion in the party.

According to the Trade Minister, the Suhum clash had nothing to do with him adding, “I condemn without reservation this barbaric act of some members of our great party. I believe strongly that any disagreement whether relating to a contest for position or differences in ideas and opinions should not be manifested in such violence in a party such as ours. The ideals of our party and tradition call for peaceful and harmonious coexistence and our motto, (Development in Freedom), has no place for violence,” Mr. Kyeremanteng wrote.

He concluded his statement by urging the Suhum Constituency Executives, the Eastern Regional Executives as well as the National Executives of the party to take immediate steps to resolve the differences between the two feuding sides to restore peace and discipline in the party.