Deputy National Organizer and Member of the Communications Team of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Elikem Kotoko says the emergence of Nana Kwame Bediako, aka Freedom Jacob Caesar on the political scene to break the NDC-NPP duopoly in the December 2024 elections is too little, too late.
According to him, the timing will not help him to make any significant inroads in the 2024 elections.
“If you look at the political space, we have less than 11 months to a major election. I don’t think this is the right moment for a third force. This is not to rule out any third force. They may come and go. But what impact will they make? So this may not be the right time for Freedom Jacob Caesar.”
New Force group, millionaire and real estate tycoon, Nana Kwame Bediako, aka Freedom Jacob Caesar has revealed himself as the man behind the mask and leader of a new political movement known as the Third Force which is dedicated to snatching political power from NDC and the NPP in the next election.
However, in an interview with Naa Ashorkor on TV3’s Big Issue this morning, Elikem Kotoko argued that the people of Ghana have accepted the NDC-NPP duopoly, adding that no third force can alter that.
“Talking about a third force, Ghana has gotten so many third forces already. Alan Kyerematen just made himself a third force with the butterfly movement. There are others out there. What has been their impact? The truth is that we currently are running a duopoly which is the two major political parties (the NDC and the NPP). That’s just the truth we cannot run away from,” he pointed out.
The Deputy National Organizer noted that the third force is never a threat to the NDC, but was quick to add that Freedom Jacob Caesar may be a threat to the NPP since his emergence may have been occasioned by the catastrophic performance of the Akufo Addo/Bawumia led government.
“One may ask if he (Freedom Jacob Caesar) poses a threat to any of the political parties. I may say yes, but most especially to the NPP. Cheddar, just like any other businessman may have been swept off his feat in 2016 by the numerous promises to the business sector about industrializing Ghana and the numerous speeches by Dr Bawumia as running mate at the time.”
He lamented how the Akufo Addo/Bawumia government prevented the New Africa Foundation from organizing its Convention 2024, which was originally scheduled for January 7, 2024, to officially outdoor the third force, describing the government’s approach as “infantile.”
“Just a few days ago, the third force tried holding a program in which Julius Malema, P. L. O. Lumumba, and others were scheduled to grace the occasion. The government in a very infantile approach managed to thwart that program. If you look at the chain of events, Cheddar will not be happy with this regime over how they have been high-handed on matters and not promoting democracy enough.”
He continued: “I admire him (Cheddar) for his strength of character – trying to put out who he truly is and I also must say that for the teasers he put out with the man behind the musk and all of that, that was a great awareness and attention he drew. But do any of the political parties feel threatened? Not the NDC. But with the analogy I have given you, the NPP should be concerned and worried.”