Former Deputy Information Minister, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has stated that the “BreakThe8” campaign led by the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) will not materialize.

According to him, this is because the governing party will lose the 2024 general elections irrespective of the presidential candidate they settle on.

Speaking to Benjamin Akakpo on JoyNews’ AM Show, Mr Kwakye Ofosu said Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and Trade Minister Alan Kyerematen, said to be best placed to replace President Akufo-Addo will be no match for the opposition National Democratic Congress.

He argued that both state officials have performed woefully in the management of the economy, therefore, would find no favour in the eyes of the Ghanaian electorate.

“The fact is that the NPP are going to engage in a race to the bottom. It is an in-fated decision they will make. The point is that whoever they bring will lose. The point is that what he (Bawumia) is noted for or his claim to fame in the past was economic management.

He has been so spectacular that he is running away from the very record he has supervised. As head of the Economic Management team, he has supervised the worst economic situation under the 4th Republic. This will make him completely untenable as a candidate for the NPP.

Alan Kyerematen is also a member of the Economic Management team. He is part of the catastrophic governance we are experiencing over the period. He cannot separate himself from the terrible record they will be leaving in 2024. So I don’t see that he is a viable candidate either against who the NDC will present,” he said on Tuesday.

Mr Kwakye Ofosu further noted that the Vice President should not be motivated to vie for the NPP presidential candidacy as “nobody in the Ghanaian space takes him seriously”.

“Exactly what is he going to tell the electorate? Who is going to take him seriously after all the falsehoods he peddled have been revealed for what they are, falsehood. The man has not even had the courage to step out there and defend his economic record. He is not a viable candidate.

All you need to do in a campaign against him is to play his own voice and that finishes the matter. He will be a terrible candidate. He is a poor candidate. The reality shows that Dr Bawumia has no credibility as we speak,” he continued.

The aide to former President Mahama believes the current situation of the governing party is the worst they have ever experienced since its inception.

“I will not want to be in the NPP’s position. Perhaps this is the worst situation they have been in since they were founded. Both leading candidates do not inspire confidence. Their records are shambolic. Ghanaians have lost confidence in them.”

BreakThe8 campaign

In December last year, Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, said he is confident that the New Patriotic Party will become the first political party in the Fourth Republic to break the eight-year power cycle.

Speaking at the annual national delegates’ conference of the NPP in Kumasi on Sunday, December 19, Dr Bawumia noted that this will however will not come easy.

“I believe if we’re united we shall break the eight. Our success will depend on how we conduct ourselves. We must not take down each other, but rather the NDC whose return will be a disaster for Ghana,” he said.

He added: “The NPP has a solid record of achievement in the Fourth Republic. Our party has become the most important driver of the Ghanaian vision and development agenda.

“We have been responsible for the most important policies which touch every Ghanaian in every corner of our nation, the NHIS, the school feeding program, the free antenatal services, the Free SHS, the free TVET program etc.

“As we meet here today at Conference, we are reminded that it is the party that birthed the government. Thus, strengthening party-government relations is key to our collective success.

“I believe that Insha Allah we will be able to break the eight because our record is a superior record. Whether we are talking about agriculture, industry, roads, housing, education, health, transformational policies like digitalization, social interventions and so on the comparison between us and the NDC will be like night and day.”