Private legal practitioner Kofi Bentil has criticised fellow lawyer Martin Kpebu over comments he made about New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer hopeful for the 2028 general elections, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.

The exchange happened on TV3's Key Points show on Saturday, September 27, 2025.

Martin Kpebu had dismissed Dr Bawumia's presidential chances ahead of the 2028 elections, arguing that the former Vice President lost by a wide margin in the 2024 polls.

According to him, it would take more than four years to close such a gap, making it impossible for Bawumia to win in 2028.

He suggested that Bawumia could only realistically stand a chance in the 2032 elections, and even then, age would not be in his favour.

"But I'm surprised that they say young people in the NPP prefer Bawumia. He doesn't stand a chance in 2028… It's 1.6 million votes. You can't wipe out 1.6 million votes in a four-year cycle unless the NDC misrules to a level beyond even what Akufo-Addo did.

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"We are not going to sit down for that. What Akufo-Addo did was the last. There's still a lot of anger in the system. You see why John Mahama's approval rating is coming down. What Akufo-Addo did to us, we won't sit down for that to happen again."

His remarks, however, did not sit well with Kofi Bentil, who doubles as Vice President of IMANI Africa and was also a panellist on the show.

Bentil questioned Kpebu's authority in declaring that Bawumia had no chance in the upcoming elections.

He schooled him on global democratic trends, particularly in the United States, stressing that age plays a relatively minor role in determining electoral outcomes, as voters are now more focused on issues.

"Well, let me add this. You let my brother Martin go on and on. Look, on this matter, listen to me, he is so wrong, it is not salvageable. He can't be helped. Listen, there was a trend in America, and America is a very good place to look at when it comes to democratic trends.

"Bill Clinton was 45 or 47 when he became president, with Al Gore as vice president at 44. In US history, Clinton, who many doubted, balanced the budget and stabilised the economy. Then came George Bush, followed by Barack Obama, also in his 40s. People thought America would always go for young leaders.

"But guess what? Donald Trump, who is 79 today, came in almost a decade later and became one of the most impactful presidents in US history, for right or wrong. The point is this: age is just a number. Trump wiped the floor with younger contenders. So, Martin has no basis to talk about age politics," he said.

He continued, "Who are you? At the end of the day, Ghanaians will decide based on who they believe can deliver."

Bentil further argued that the current generation of voters, particularly millennials and Gen Z, are a "no-nonsense" group that makes decisions based on competence and results rather than age.

"That generation doesn't revere anything. They don't respect age or tradition. They look at what's on the ground and say, what's good for me? If someone is 100 years old and can deliver, they'll vote for him. Age is nothing."

Who the heck does Martin Kpebu think he is to say he won’t allow a 70 year old ruling Ghana?😡 pic.twitter.com/46QOrn5bcP

— Harrydarling💖 (@AcheampongHarry) September 28, 2025