A leading contender in the race for the presidential ticket of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr. Dan Botwe, says he can comfortably defeat the presidential flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Prof. John Evans Atta Mills, when given the nod to lead his party, justifying his conviction that 63-year-old Prof Mills already appears tired.

According to him, he could not foresee Prof. Mills devising a policy to move the country forward in the next eight years because even before the 2008 presidential race, the old man seems to be giving up gradually.

Mr. Botwe, who was responding to The Chronicle’s query as to how he could match his main contender, Prof. Mills if given the nod, stressed that he does not think that Prof. Mills is capable of managing the 138 districts and ten regions in the country alongside the major institutions.

He continued that he would inject dynamism in leadership in the party, a factor which his opponent and his party do not have.

"We have a multi-party democracy. I want to believe that there are many factors why Ghanaians vote. Whether they belong to a party or not, it is the vision for the country that matters," he reiterated.

Mr. Botwe, who is also the former General Secretary of the NPP noted that he would welcome a debate with Prof Mills any time, any where, to tell Ghanaians what exactly he stands for and what method he and his party would employ.

Substantiating his point that Prof Mills had not been himself, he intimated that the recent NDC family meeting held at the New Coco Beach Hotel, where it was reported that the founder of NDC, Ex-President Jerry Rawlings had casti¬gated Prof Mills, was a clear case.

He continued that he could not imagine that Prof Mills, who is a law Professor and was once a Vice President could stand unconcerned while Selassie Djentu was being given an identification haircut in the Osu Castle, the seat of Government.

"I cannot believe that somebody's child was arrested and placed in custody at the Castle in the full glare of Prof Mills. He should have resigned to show Ghanaians he was not in sup¬port of what had happened," he reiterated.

According to him Prof Mills was the Chairman of the Economic Planning Committee, which was responsible for the Quality Grain transaction that generated a lot of controversies regarding how huge sums of monies were transferred to the con investor.

He argued that Prof Mills might not have known at the time what was happening but even that casts a slur on his presidential ambitions because he could not sit unaware while all these scandals were happening at his doorstep.

"He may or may not know, but if you are a vice president and you don't know what goes on around you then it is very serious," the 49-year old presidential aspirant exclaimed.

Mr. Botwe indicated that Prof Mills had exhausted his plans for the country when he was in government, so there was nothing new he could offer Ghanaians.

When quizzed why his campaign team was lacking grey-haired people, he answered that it is a multi-party democracy system and moreover the party does not lack talents.

"I cannot believe that there is anybody who thinks that in order to become a president you should be restricted to choosing people of whatever age. As a former General Secretary people from age 18 to whatever age come to me so why should there be a problem with the people who work with me?" he enquired;

He re-emphasized that since he launched his campaign, he has never formed a campaign team, adding that wherever he goes to campaign he goes there alone.