Former President John Agyekum Kufuor has disclosed that Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen turned down an offer to serve as a minister when the New Patriotic Party (NPP) first came to power after the 2000 general elections.
Mr Kufuor made the revelation while dismissing long-standing allegations that he backed Mr Kyerematen against Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo during the party’s acrimonious 2008 presidential primaries.
“Even when we won power in the 2000 general elections, and I contacted him that I wanted to make him a Minister, he declined,” the former President said in an interview on the Delay Show.
He explained that the offer was made in recognition of Alan Kyerematen’s competence and loyalty to the NPP tradition, not as part of any scheme to position him as a future flagbearer.
“No, no. I never supported him against anybody. I didn’t give him any support to aid him go and defeat anybody. It will never happen,” Mr Kufuor stressed.
The former President said the fact that Mr Kyerematen rejected the ministerial appointment further proves there was no special grooming or favouritism toward him.
The comments are the latest attempt by Mr Kufuor to put to rest persistent rumours that he quietly preferred Alan Kyerematen as his successor ahead of the 2008 contest, which Nana Akufo-Addo eventually won after several rounds of voting.
Mr Kufuor reiterated that he remained neutral throughout the process and allowed the party’s internal democracy to prevail.