With the December 7 presidential elections fast approaching, a recent survey commissioned by the Office of the President suggests that Ghana may be heading towards a run-off. The survey, which gathered opinions from over 25,000 voters across 276 constituencies, indicates that neither the New Patriotic Party (NPP) nor the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is projected to win an outright majority in the first round.
According to the findings, led by Dr. Isaac Owusu, Director of Research at the Presidency and former University of Ghana Political Science lecturer, both major parties are tied in voter support. The survey shows that 46.3% of respondents are prepared to vote for the NDC, while an equal percentage are in favor of the NPP, leaving a split in voter preference.
The data reveals that 80% of participants have already decided which party they will back in the elections. However, 9% of voters remain undecided, many of whom expressed dissatisfaction with politicians (77%) as their reason for non-participation. In addition, 7% of voters, particularly in the Western, Bono, Ahafo, Western North, and Ashanti regions, cited religious reasons for abstaining from voting on Election Day, which falls on their Holy Sabbath.
Former President John Dramani Mahama of the NDC has greater visibility in constituencies compared to Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia of the NPP, according to the survey. Bawumia enjoys strong support from Christian voters, while Mahama is popular among Muslim voters and the Zongo communities.
The survey also highlights several key insights:
- 60% of voters base their decisions on party manifestos.
- Scandals and poor governance decisions hinder the re-election chances of government officials.
- The NPP is perceived to have stronger appeal among the middle class, while the elite class sees no substantial alternative from the NDC.
These findings suggest a highly competitive race, with the possibility of a run-off if no party achieves the required majority in the first round.
Source: GhanaFeed.Com