Analysis of Social Media Comments on Alan Kyeremanten's Resignation and Independent Candidacy

The former Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Alan Kyeremanten has resigned from the New Patriotic Party and declared his intention to contest the 2024 general election as an independent candidate. 

He made the announcement at a press briefing yesterday and attributed his decision to the unfair treatment meted out to him and his supporters by the party's hierarchy. 

However, in 2008 he first resigned from the NPP but was politically coerced to rejoin the party. 

In a comprehensive analysis of social media comments from five prominent Ghanaian media outlets including GHOne TV, Citi FM, Adom FM, TV3, and Peace FM. We aimed to determine the level of support among Ghanaians for Alan Kyeremanten's decision to resign from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and run as an independent candidate in the 2024 general elections. Over two hours, we meticulously examined a total of 1,781 comments, yielding several noteworthy observations.

Among the commenters, we identified a range of sentiments. A total of 55 individuals representing 3.1% expressed support for Alan Kyeremanten's decision, considering it long overdue in light of ongoing issues within the NPP. On the contrary, 142 individuals representing 7.9% disagreed strongly with Kyeremanten's choice and urged him to reconsider, citing concerns about the potential negative impact on his political career.

Interestingly, 2 individuals representing 0.1%  neither supported nor opposed the decision but questioned why Kyeremanten had accepted an appointment from President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, given his grievances with the NPP.

 While there was significant viewership and engagement on social media pages during this period, the majority of comments 1,582 representing 88.9% did not directly pertain to the central discussion. Instead, these comments predominantly included greetings, advertisements for various products and services, and discussions unrelated to the topics under discussion.

 Key Observations

Two key observations emerged from our analysis:

1. The relatively low number of comments directly related to the discussed matter suggests that a substantial portion of the audience may have been passive observers rather than active participants in the conversation.

2. The bulk of comments encompassed greetings, product/service advertisements, and unrelated discussions. This diversity in comment content reflects a wide range of interests and engagement styles among social media users, suggesting that the audience had various motives for interacting with the content.

 Conclusion

In summary, a significant portion of Ghanaian social media users expressed opposition to Alan Kyeremanten's decision to resign from the NPP and contest the 2024 general elections as an independent candidate. They questioned his credibility and his ability to bring about change, particularly given his prior role in the government. These users appeared to desire a third political force but did not view Kyeremanten as a suitable candidate for that role.

It's crucial to acknowledge that social media comments provide only a partial glimpse of public opinion, and broader surveys or polls may be necessary to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of public sentiment regarding this political development. Furthermore, political dynamics can evolve, so the sentiments expressed in these comments may change as the 2024 elections draw closer.