Former Ghana Football Association (GFA) president Kwesi Nyantakyi has revealed that he initially backed Wilfred Osei Kweku Palmer in the 2019 GFA presidential elections. Osei Palmer, a prominent football administrator and owner of Tema Youth FC, was considered a strong contender for the position before being controversially disqualified by the Elections Committee of the Normalization Committee.

Palmer was accused of failing an integrity test and not remitting a percentage of a player transfer fee to the GFA. His disqualification left many, including Nyantakyi, disappointed. Speaking in an interview with Kumasi-based Lawson FM, Nyantakyi expressed his sadness over Palmer’s exclusion, stating he had hoped to see him lead Ghana football’s governing body.

Interestingly, Nyantakyi shared that Kurt Okraku, the eventual winner, sought his assistance in securing victory. “A day before the elections, Kurt Okraku called me to help him win, so I invited about 60 delegates to my house and convinced them to support him,” Nyantakyi recounted. He clarified that his support for Okraku came only after Palmer was out of contention.

Despite his late involvement, Nyantakyi emphasized that Okraku did not offer him any financial inducement. He admitted his preference for Palmer but ultimately played a pivotal role in Okraku’s path to the GFA presidency.

Kurt Okraku is currently serving his second term as GFA president, leading efforts to revitalize Ghanaian football.