What Alan Kyerematen told Hopeson Adorye after ‘controversial’ comment

One-time New Patriotic Party (NPP) Parliamentary Candidate for Kpone-Katamanso Constituency, Hopeson Yaovi Adorye, has recently come under fire following some comments he made about Dombos (Northerners) in the party.

Addressing a Health Walk held for Alan Kyerematen over the weekend in Kumasi, he made comments to the effect that Dombos in the NPP have traditionally served as running mates to the Danquahs and Busias.

This claim incurred the displeasure of many within the NPP and Ghanaians at large who have labeled the comment as either ethnocentric or demeaning of Northerners.

It thus appears that the whole brouhaha caught the attention of Alan Kyerematen who contacted Adorye for a chat on the comment.

Speaking on Metro TV’s programme “Good Afternoon Ghana” on August 15, Hopeson Adorye said Alan Kyerematen called him and indicated to him that his comment was not in bad taste however he should apologize for it owing to the controversy it has generated.

“This morning [August 15], I had a call from Alan Kyerematen and he said he has seen all the commentaries that are going on. He has requested for the video. He has watched it. I did not mean any bad but my statement has been misconstrued so he’s advising me to apologize. I said that’s all, I will not hesitate so I promised him that I am going to do that and around 11, I released a statement to apologize to the public for that misleading headline… So, I have duly apologized to our Northern brothers,” he said.

What Hopeson Adorye said

Hopeson Adorye at a walk christened “walk for Alan” in Kumasi sought to rally support for the candidature of Alan Kyerematen for the NPP flagbearership race.

He commented on the tradition of the party and sought to use it to justify why it is now the turn of the Trade and Industry Minister to lead NPP.

“There is one thing I am going to say. The NPP has a tradition. Our tradition is Busia, Danquah and Dombo. Danquah represents Eastern Region and the bottom (south), Busia represents Ashanti Region and the Bono areas, while Dombo represents Northern Region,” said Hopeson Adorye.

“Whenever a Danquah leads the party, the Busia side steps aside but there is a Dombo (for a running mate), and whenever a Busia lead, the Danquah side steps aside but there is a Dombo (for a running mate). As for the Dombos, they are always there (for a running mate).”

“In 1992, Albert Adu Boahen, who represented Danquah contested with a Dombo. In 1996, we had the Great Alliance bit in 2000, it came to Kufuor, who is a Busia, and he ran with a Dombo (as his running mate). Then after Kufuor, it moved back to Danquah, with President Akufo-Addo. He also contested the election with another Dombo (as his running mate), who is Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia.

“If it went to Danquah, came to Busia, went back to Danquah, where should it go now, is it not Busia?” Hopeson Adorye asked.