Former President John Agyekum Kufuor has dismissed long-standing claims that he supported Alan Kyerematen over Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) presidential primaries ahead of the 2008 Election.

In an interview on The Delay Show, Kufuor described the rumours as unfounded and unfair, insisting he never worked against Akufo-Addo nor provided any form of support to boost Alan’s campaign.

“I never supported him against anybody. I didn’t give him anything to aid him go and defeat anybody,” he indicated.

The plot against me by some NPP members is similar to the rivalry you're seeing now - Kufuor

Kufuor also stated that the narrative had persisted for years despite lacking any factual basis.

He stressed that he maintained strict neutrality in all internal party contests during his tenure.

Recounting events after the NPP’s 2000 electoral victory, the former president disclosed that he had actually attempted to bring Kyerematen into his government, but the latter declined the ministerial offer.

“When I contacted him to make him a minister, he turned down the offer,” Kufuor said.

His clarification comes at a time when internal party debates have resurfaced following the NPP’s defeat in the 2024 general elections.

I didn't understand Akufo-Addo's leadership – Former President Kufuor

Kufuor also offered candid criticism of the Akufo-Addo administration, citing the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP), the PDS controversy, and the National Cathedral project as policy setbacks that significantly weakened public confidence in the government.

He noted that while the administration began on a strong footing, decisions taken after the COVID-19 pandemic raised serious concerns among voters.

According to him, this represented a departure from the momentum built in 2016, when the NPP campaigned heavily on the achievements of his own government, a foundation he believes contributed substantially to the party’s credibility at the time.

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Meanwhile, as the BBC moves the home of its Focus on Africa Podcast to Nairobi, GhanaWeb's Etsey Atisu connected with the host for an exclusive interview on The Lowdown. Watch it here: