US-based Ghanaian medical practitioner and leading member of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) Dr Arthur Kennedy has said the resignation of former flagbearer aspirant of the party, Alan Kyerematen did not come to him as a surprise.

According to the leading NPP member, Afrobarometer polls have shown for the last 15 years that both major political parties in the country were becoming increasingly unpopular.

Speaking on the Citizen Show on Accra100.5 FM, Dr Kennedy said: “I was not surprised because, fundamentally, the two parties have become less and less democratic and less and less popular.

“The kind of things happening in the NPP, you knew that something was going to either, Alan will be strong enough to mobilise the grassroots of the NPP to mount a revolution within the NPP or they’ll push him out, and so right now it sounds like they’ve pushed him out.”

He indicated that the resignation of Mr Kyerematen from the NPP will impact the party negatively.

“It will have a negative impact on the NPP. The biggest loser today is the NPP and whoever is candidate to come. The magnitude is yet to be determined but it will be negative. The biggest winner today is John Mahama; his path to the presidency just got clear.”

He reiterated that the resignation of Mr Kyerematen is an advantage for the main opposition NDC. 

“There are always scenarios that Alan will be a strong enough independent candidate that he can beat Bawumia and get into the run-off, that is possible but my point is that at the end of the day a party that looks divided doesn’t generally do well in elections like this, but for now this is advantage to NDC,” he said.

He indicated that “selfishness, corruption, incompetence, nepotism, tribalism,” is what has brought the NPP to its current situation”. 

He noted that he feels sad for the party currently since a lot of sacrifices have gone into the party. He 

“It’s a sad day,” he stressed.