The exit of Alan John Kwadwo Kyerematen from the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) is clearly impacting the party’s fortunes in the upcoming December elections as evidenced in the latest poll conducted by Global InfoAnalytics.
Professor Kobby Mensah, a Political Marketing Analyst with the University of Ghana who is making this observation has explained that the figures Alan Kyerematen is getting is most likely coming from the camp of the NPP, something the party needs to be worried about.
According to him, rather than questioning the credibility of a survey whose methodology has been clearly published, it would rather benefit the NPP if they channeled their energies to fixing the toll Alan Kyerematen’s exit is having on them.
“Don’t forget Alan Kyerematen had left NPP and look at the figures he is getting. Clearly it shows that there is an impact of Alan Kyerematen leaving the NPP so I’m surprised that they are not even looking at that but rather they are questioning the methodology of the poll. You have such a significant personality leaving your party and garnering these kinds of numbers he is getting even when we have not gotten to the intensity of the campaign, you have to really look at that,” he told TV3’s Alfred Ocansey on Ghana Tonight Monday, April 08, 2024.
His comments stem from the latest national opinion poll organised by the Global InfoAnalytics for the 2024 presidential election which placed the National Democratic Congress’s (NDC) John Dramani Mahama ahead of the governing New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, with Alan Kyerematen following as a potential third force.
The survey report “shows the ruling party’s candidate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia (DMB) trailing the main opposition candidate, John Dramani Mahama (JDM) in the race to lead the country in 2025. The poll shows JDM leads with 54.3%, DMB, 34.9%, Alan Kwadwo Kyeremanten (AKK), 7.5%, Nana Kwame Bediako, 2.3%, others, 1%.”
Meanwhile, the Professor has said he will not discount the “it’s too early” argument that people are making. However, stakeholders should not forget the poll did not say the outcome is what would be replicated on the election day, but rather, what will likely be, based on if elections were held at a particular period.
“We have what we call campaign intensity during the elections and I had always said that just campaign songs alone had influenced people and they feel a certain vibe around a certain candidate and a certain party and as a result influences their decision to vote so I will never discount that particular position that it’s too early.
“Clearly, Global InfoAnalytics didn’t say this is what will transpire in December. They said if elections were held today or that particular period, what would be the outcome and that’s what they are saying. So if you raise the argument that of course, eight clear months, I don’t think that you’re being fair to the poll,” he stated.
He added that “the poll didn’t say this is the result of December it says that if elections were held. It’s an opinion poll and clearly opinion poll also mean that people might not tell you the truth and so you take the result with a certain caution and you use it to work around what the poll says is your weaknesses.”
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