I WILL RETURN TO NPP ONLY IF INVITED AS 2028 FLAGBEARER – ALAN KYEREMATEN
Founder and Leader of the United Party (UP), Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, has broken his silence on a possible return to the New Patriotic Party (NPP), stating that he would only consider rejoining the party he once served for decades if he is invited to lead as its flagbearer for the 2028 general elections.
The former Minister of Trade and Industry made the bold declaration in an interview with DW Africa that has since gone viral across Ghanaian media platforms, accumulating over 800 reactions, comments and shares within 24 hours.
According to Alan, his return to the NPP is conditional, strategic and tied to leadership. He emphasized that unless he is in control of the party as its presidential candidate, a return would not guarantee victory for the NPP in the next elections.
Speaking in response to a direct question about whether he would accept an invitation to rejoin the NPP, Alan was quoted as saying: “Yes, if as a flagbearer, okay, I’m controlling the party, then I know it is the only way that they can win power.”
He further added: “I have made a public declaration that I’m so committed to the values of the United Party. In fact, that is the only way they [NPP] can win the 2028 general election.”
A MAN WITH A LONG NPP HISTORY
Alan Kyerematen’s political journey with the NPP spans over three decades. He was a founding member of the Young Executives Forum, served as Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States under President Kufuor, and held the position of Minister for Trade and Industry on two separate occasions under both President Kufuor and President Nana Akufo-Addo.
In 2007, 2010, 2014 and 2023, he contested for the flagbearership of the NPP but lost on all occasions. His final attempt in 2023 was particularly controversial. He pulled out of the race before the final Super Delegates Conference, citing unfair treatment, intimidation of his supporters and a skewed process designed to favor a particular candidate, who eventually became Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
In September 2023, Alan officially resigned from the NPP in a press conference at the Movenpick Hotel in Accra, announcing the formation of the Movement for Change with the Monarch Butterfly (Afrafranto) as its symbol, with the slogan “Ghana Will Rise Again.”
He contested the 2024 general elections as an independent candidate and placed third after John Dramani Mahama of the NDC and Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia of the NPP. Although he did not win, political analysts noted that his votes significantly affected the NPP’s performance in its strongholds, especially in the Ashanti and Eastern Regions.
THE BIRTH OF THE UNITED PARTY
After the 2024 elections, Alan did not disband his movement. Instead, he went ahead to form a fully-fledged political party called the United Party (UP), a name that deliberately evokes the historical tradition from which both the NPP and the UP trace their roots – the United Party of Dr. J.B. Danquah and Kofi Abrefa Busia in 1957.
The Electoral Commission of Ghana granted the United Party a provisional certificate on October 3, 2025. At the launch, Alan unveiled his ambitious policy blueprint for Ghana, which he calls the Great Transformational Plan (GTP) and Vision 2040, also known as the “Paradise Project,” aimed at making Ghana the economic powerhouse of Africa by 2040 through industrialization, agriculture, and job creation.
He has since appointed former NPP communicator Hopeson Adorye as Director of Field Operations and has been touring the country to build grassroots structures.
WHY HE SAYS NPP NEEDS HIM
In the DW Africa interview, Alan argued that neither the NPP nor the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) under President John Mahama can guarantee a prosperous future for Ghana. He said Ghana needs a third force with a different political approach, focused on industrialization and national unity rather than partisan politics.
He believes that the values of the United Party – including national unity, industrial transformation, and a business-minded approach to governance – are exactly what the NPP needs to win back power in 2028 after losing the 2024 elections heavily to the NDC.
According to him, if the NPP invites him as flagbearer, he would bring on board not only his personal support base but also the entire ideological framework of the United Party, which he believes is more attractive to floating voters and the youth.
THE DENIAL FROM HIS OWN CAMP
Interestingly, while the DW Africa interview continues to trend, his own Director of Field Operations, Hopeson Adorye, has come out to deny the reports.
Speaking on Radio Tamale’s Ashahara Nye Dini programme hosted by Mumuni Yirifa Yunus on Wednesday, October 22, 2026, Hopeson Adorye described the reports as baseless and fabricated.
“Alan will never join NPP, not today and not tomorrow,” Adorye said emphatically. “There is no audio, there is no video, and there is no write-up from him stating that he will only come to the NPP if they make him a flagbearer.”
He suggested that the reports were being circulated by detractors to tarnish Alan’s image and create an opportunity for people to criticize him for being inconsistent.
“The United Party was established to stay. We are not going back to the NPP,” Adorye added.
This has created confusion among the public – did Alan actually say it in the DW interview or was he misquoted?
NPP’S RESPONSE AND THE 800+ REACTIONS
As of now, the national leadership of the NPP has not officially responded to Alan’s conditional return. However, sources close to the party say the flagbearer position cannot be handed to anyone on a silver platter. The NPP’s constitution requires that a flagbearer is elected through a democratic process involving polling station executives, constituency executives, regional executives, national executives, Members of Parliament, and other designated delegates.
Many NPP grassroots members who reacted to the story with over 800 comments on Facebook said Alan should be bold enough to return and contest like everyone else if he really wants to lead.
Meanwhile, supporters of the United Party argue that Alan is the only person who can unite the NPP and bring back disgruntled members who left after the 2024 defeat.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
With the NPP scheduled to hold its presidential primaries in early 2027 to elect a flagbearer for 2028, the coming months will be crucial. Names already being mentioned include former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, former Assin Central MP Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, former Agriculture Minister Dr. Bryan Acheampong, and former Education Minister Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum.
Whether Alan Kyerematen will officially apply to return to the NPP or continue to build his United Party remains to be seen. But one thing is clear – his statement has reignited the debate about unity, loyalty, and electability within the Danquah-Busia-Dombo tradition.
For now, Ghanaians will be watching closely to see if the butterfly will fly back into the elephant’s house, and on what terms.
