Award winning Ghanaian musician, Okyeame Kwame has revealed that he was approached by Alan Kyerematen, the founder of ‘Movement for Change’, to be his running mate in the upcoming 2024 general elections.
According to Okyeame Kwame, Alan presented him with a list of 10 criteria that made him an ideal candidate for the role, which he found quite flattering including being a successful married man.
However, after careful consideration, Okyeame Kwame decided to decline the offer due to the numerous challenges associated with a political career.
The concerns, he mentioned included the risk of propaganda, security threats, and the intense public scrutiny and digging of his past that come with being a public figure.
The Woso hit-maker who was speaking on Joy FM’s Showbiz A-Z noted that his decision was ultimately driven by his desire to protect the well-being of his family, particularly his teenage children.
“So he [Alan] reached out, and I was in Kumasi for an event. I went to see him, and he outlined certain criteria for the person he wanted as his running mate. It was very flattering. They wanted someone who had accomplished something significant, and I’ve been in the music industry for 26 years. They also considered personal factors, like marriage and family.”
“I couldn’t do it because my children are teenagers. If I [were to go] into partisan politics, I would need to prepare them for at least a year. I also had to think about security: what if people spread false propaganda about you?
“What if they dug up your skeletons? Had I prepared my family to deal with that kind of pressure? No. And because of that I didn’t want to put my family in jeopardy,” he explained.
Earlier this year, Okyeame Kwame announced his exit from the ruling New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) sub-committee on tourism, arts and culture chaired by the Executive Secretary of the National Film Authority (NFA), Juliet Yaa Asantewaa Asante and the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) Akwasi Agyemang after an announcement of his selection.
He was nominated with actor, Prince David Osei, Nana Yaw Manteaw, Yaa Pokua Baiden, Kwaku Osei Korankye Asiedu (KOKA), and Festus Frimpong Gyebi, Eric Owusu Akreso, Dr. Ackah Kwame Nyameke and Radia Adama Saani.
However, Okyeame explained that he turned down the offer since it was in contradiction to contracts he had signed with organisations, which required him to be politically neutral.
