Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah, has rubbished the assertion that former Trade Minister, Alan Kyerematen, was let down by the people of Ashanti Region at the New Patriotic Party's Super Delegates Conference.

At the end of the elections in the Ashanti Region, Dr Bawumia polled 97 votes out of the 121 total valid votes cast. Alan Kyerematen, on the other hand, garnered just 10 votes, whereas Kennedy Agyapong polled 6 votes.

For some experts, this came as a surprise, as the assertion was that the people of the Ashanti Region would side with a native. That was not the case.

According to Mr Osei Mensah, the delegates cannot be blamed but rather the strategy employed by the aspirants. He noted other natives of the Ashanti Region such as Francis Addai-Nimo failed to secure a single vote.

"Honourable Konadu Apraku, is from Akomadan, he has been an MP before, why did he get. No votes, so what should he say.

"Addai-Nimo, he was Mampong MP, he is from the Ashanti Region, what did he get. What did Alan get. In the Ashanti Region, did Alan not get 10 votes? When Addai, after the entire counting had 9. So what should he say. Kwabena Agyapong, is he not from the Ashanti Region, what should he say," he said in an interview on Peace FM.

Simon Osei Mensah added: "In this election, everyone has a strategy. Let me say I'm contesting and give promises, the delegates will come in their numbers but how many of them will vote for me. You should know the type of election you are going into."

Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, also known as Chairman Wontumi, has shed light on the probable cause for this achievement by the Vice President.

In an interview with Good Evening Ghana's host, Paul Adom-Otchere, Chairman Wontumi noted that prior to the elections, the people of Ashanti Region had announced their support for the Vice President.

He noted that the condition given to him during the party's congress that led to his election as Ashanti Regional Chair was for him to support the Vice President wholeheartedly.

"When I was running for elections, I told them. This is the message the people have given me that once I become a regional chairman, I should support the Vice President. You can ask all the constituency executives," he said.

He alluded to the assertion that the super delegates who voted in favour of the Vice President had the blessing of the delegates who will partake in the November 4 primaries.

Meanwhile, former Trade Minister, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, has withdrawn from the New Patriotic Party's (NPP) presidential elections.

His official withdrawal is contained in a press statement issued on Tuesday, September 5, 2023.

According to the former minister, his withdrawal stems from his abysmal performance at the party's just-ended Super Delegates Conference due to the interference of some leaders of the party.

In his statement, he said: "After having carefully analysed the results of the said elections, it is absolutely clear to me from events leading to, during and after the elections, that the Special Delegates Conference was strategically and tactically skewed in favour of one particular Aspirant. The pronouncements made by some leading Members of our Party both before and after the elections, also lend weight to my observations.

His withdrawal has been acknowledged by the party's leadership.