Former Ghana Football Association (GFA) president Kwesi Nyantakyi has disclosed that he initially supported Wilfred Osei Kweku Palmer’s candidacy for the GFA presidency during the 2019 elections.
Osei Palmer, the owner and bankroller of Tema Youth FC, was considered a strong contender for the position. However, his campaign came to an abrupt halt when the Elections Committee of the Normalization Committee disqualified him. He failed the integrity test after appearing before the Vetting Committee and was accused of not paying the FA a percentage following the sale of one of his players.
In an interview with Kumasi-based Lawson FM, Nyantakyi, who once served as CAF 1st Vice President and a FIFA Council Member, revealed his disappointment at Palmer’s disqualification. “I was sad when he was disqualified by the Elections Committee,” Nyantakyi said.
Nyantakyi also revealed that Kurt Okraku, who eventually won the election, approached him for support on the eve of the polls. “A day before the elections, Kurt Okraku called me to help him win. I invited the delegates to my house, and about 60 out of the 123 delegates came that night. I spoke to them, and they agreed to vote for him,” he recounted.
Despite backing Okraku after Palmer’s disqualification, Nyantakyi clarified that his initial preference was for Palmer to lead Ghana football. “Before that, I was rooting for Osei Palmer to become GFA president,” he noted.
Kurt Okraku is currently serving his second term as GFA president, having been re-elected in 2023.
