Government Communications Minister, Felix Kwakye Ofosu says the New Patriotic Party lost power because Ghanaians were unhappy with its performance in
Government Communications Minister, Felix Kwakye Ofosu says the New Patriotic Party lost power because Ghanaians were unhappy with its performance in government, not because of internal divisions within the party.
Speaking on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana with host Moro Awudu, the Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese Member of Parliament said the opposition party has misunderstood the reasons behind its electoral defeat and is wrongly blaming internal disagreements.
Mr Kwakye Ofosu said the NPP has survived far deeper internal conflicts in the past and still gone on to win elections. He recalled the party’s internal crisis in 2014, which he described as far more serious than the current disagreements.
“At that time, there were violent clashes, machetes were used, people were attacked, and even party executives were locked out of their offices,” he said. He also referenced the death of a party chairman during that turbulent period, noting that despite those events, the NPP went on to win the 2016 election two years later.
According to him, this history shows that internal party struggles do not determine election outcomes in Ghana. What matters to voters, he said, is how a government performs when given the opportunity to govern.
“The Ghanaian voter is interested in what you deliver when they give you power,” Mr Kwakye Ofosu said.
“When the NPP was in government, people were unhappy. That dissatisfaction, not internal party contests or statements, is what led to their defeat.”
He rejected claims that the party’s loss was caused by divisions among its leaders or supporters, insisting that voters made a direct comparison between the NPP’s record in government and that of former President John Dramani Mahama.
“The only reason Ghanaians voted for Mahama again is because, when they compared his record as president with the performance of the NPP, they believed he did better,” he said.
“Logically, people will not abandon something they consider better to return to something they believe was worse.”
Mr Kwakye Ofosu also dismissed suggestions that the individuals who contested leadership positions within the NPP were inexperienced. He noted that all of them have served in public office in various capacities and are not new to governance.
He added that Dr. Bawumia himself has acknowledged overseeing one of the most difficult economic periods in the country’s history, arguing that his record is well known and not a matter of speculation.
In Mr Kwakye Ofosu’s view, the lesson for political parties is clear. Elections are won or lost on performance, not on internal disagreements, and any party that ignores this reality risks repeating the same mistakes.
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