70 percent of New Patriotic Party (NPP) constituency and polling station executives who took part in a national survey say they want the 56-year-old Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh alias Napo, the Minister for Energy, to be picked as running mate to partner Vice President Mahamadu Bawumia, the Party’s presidential candidate for the December elections.
The closest contender is the 77-year-old Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Osei Opare who polled just some 10 percent of respondents wanting her to be the NPP running mate.
The survey was conducted by Research Trust Limited (RTL), a private research company in the month of May. It targeted respondents in 60 constituencies across all 16 regions of the country.
The survey asked the respondents who they feel would be the best person to partner Dr. Bawumia based on factors such as regional preference, the popularity and marketability of the candidate, the ability of the candidate to face the National Democratic Congress (NDC) boot for boot, the candidates’ understanding of grassroot politics and the candidate being known party faithful.
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RESULTS
One of the key results from the survey showed that, 92 percent of the sampled constituency executives preferred the running mate to come from the Ashanti region.
On the question of who the constituency executives want as running mate for the 2024 presidential elections, more than two-thirds of the respondents preferred Energy Minister Mathew Opoku Prempeh (70%).
This was followed by the 77-year-old Chief of Staff Frema Osei Opare (10%). Education Minister Yaw Osei Adutwum (9%), and former Chief Executive of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Henry Kwabena Kokofu (7%).
The others were Minister for Food and agriculture, Hon Bryan Acheampong (1.2%), Administrator of the District Assemblies Common Fund. Naa Toshie Addo (1%), First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Joseph Osei Owusu (0.6%), Minister for Chieftaincy Asamoah Boateng (0.4%), and Prof. Mrs. Rita Akosua Dickson (0.4%).
Research Trust Limited, in its work, analyzed the question among first time voters that if elections were organized today, who would they vote for.
The analysis for this question was based on only first-time voters. This was done to avoid any biases from other respondents.
The results suggest that first time voters were more likely to cast their vote for Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and the NPP (56%) than they would do for the NDC’s Mr. John Mahama (42%).
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METHODOLOGY
A total of 60 constituencies out of the 275 were sampled for the study, representing about 22% of all constituencies in Ghana.
The number of sampled constituencies within a region was proportional to the total number of constituencies in that region.
That is, more constituencies were sampled in the Ashanti, Eastern, and the Greater Accra regions, relative to regions such as the North East and Ahafo regions for example.
In each sampled constituency, the survey aimed at interviewing 5 constituency executives, giving a total of 300 constituency level data.
In addition, four (4) random polling stations within the constituency were sampled.
In each sampled polling station, a total of three NPP polling station executives were randomly selected and interviewed.
This gave a total of 720 polling station level interviews.
An additional four (4) first-time voters (2 male and 2 female where possible) in each selected polling station were sampled to respond to the questions.
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That is, data from 960 first-time voters were collected as part of this survey. The total sample for our analysis was 1,980 respondents.
CONCLUSION
Research Trust Limited, in its conclusion noted: “The major players in the selection process of the running mate of the NPP are the flag-bearer, National Council, Central and Regional Executive Committees, and the party’s Parliamentary Caucus.
“It must however be established that elections are won at the polling stations and the voices of those who will prosecute the party’s agenda will have to be taken into consideration in the selection process.
“If NPP is to break the 8, it is recommended they pay attention to first time voters and consolidate the potential votes that will come from that population.”
