Government Communications Minister, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has dismissed claims that internal divisions within the New Patriotic Party (NPP) led to its loss of power, insisting that the party’s defeat was driven by public dissatisfaction with its performance in government.
Speaking on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana with host Moro Awudu, the Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese Member of Parliament said the NPP has misread the reasons behind its electoral setback by focusing on infighting rather than governance outcomes.
According to Mr Kwakye Ofosu, the party has endured far more severe internal crises in the past and still emerged victorious at the polls. He cited the NPP’s internal turmoil in 2014, which he described as significantly worse 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 recalled. He also referenced the death of a party chairman during that period, noting that despite those events, the party went on to win the 2016 general election two years later.
He argued that this history clearly shows that internal party disputes do not determine electoral outcomes in Ghana. Instead, he said, voters are primarily concerned with how a party governs when entrusted with power.
“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, and that dissatisfaction is what led to their defeat.”
The Communications Minister rejected assertions that divisions among party leaders or supporters played a decisive role, stressing that voters made a direct comparison between the NPP’s record and that of former President John Dramani Mahama.
“The reason Ghanaians voted for Mahama again is simple,” he said. “When they compared his record as president with the performance of the NPP, they believed he did better.”
He further dismissed claims that those who contested leadership positions within the NPP lacked experience, pointing out that all of them have previously served in public office and are familiar with governance.
Mr Kwakye Ofosu also noted that Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has acknowledged presiding over one of the most challenging economic periods in the country’s history, adding that his record in government is well known.
In his view, the message for political parties is straightforward. Elections are decided by performance in office, not internal disagreements, and any party that ignores this lesson risks repeating the same outcome.