NPP May Loose 7 seats in Ashanti Region – Pollster

The dwindling fortunes of the opposition New Patriotic Party in the Ashanti region is far from over as a pollster has predicted that the NPP may further slum in this year’s election in its stronghold.

Mr Korsi Quito, who is a pollster with research think tank, Ballot Watch Ghana, stated that though the biggest opposition party will win majority votes in the Ashanti region, “the party’s performance will dip”

“The party is not in the best of shapes in the region as we speak. While the NDC is battling with apathy, the NPP is battling with protest votes. There are a lot of NPP supporters in Ashanti region who may vote against Nana Addo or may not turn out to vote at all because of allegations that Nana Addo instigated the removal of Kwabena Agyapong, Dr Richard Anane, Isaac Osei, Addai Nimo, Henry Kokofu and others,” he noted.

In an interview with ghanapoliticsonline.com, Mr Quito asserted that the NPP’s victory in this year’s election will depend on its performance in the Ashanti region, “but unfortunately the party is disadvantaged due to the abysmal handling of its internal matters”.

He said the party may even loose three Parliamentary seats it presently holds to the NDC.

” I have heard Wontumi and others say they will win all 47 seats in the region. President Mahama has also said the NDC will increase it seats from 4 to 13 in the region. These projects, to me, are despicable political talks intended to whip up support. The fact is that NDC cannot increase it seats to 13, the same way NPP cannot win all 47 seats in the region.”

“The best the NDC can do will be to win three seats in addition to the four it presently holds. The NDC may win Adansi Asokwa, Ejura Sekyedumase and Offinso North…but this will depend on how strategists of the party go about their job,” he added.

“Except the Adansi Asokwa seat which the NPP won with a little over 1000 votes, the other two constituencies the NDC is likely to win were won with less than 500 votes. If the NDC is serious about winning these seats, it can easily do it,” Mr Quito noted

On the NPP, Mr Quito told Ghanapoliticsonline. Com that,there is only one seat in Ashanti region being held by the NDC that may swing to the NPP in this year’s election.

“Among the four seats the NDC holds in Ashanti, the NPP may only snatch the Ahafo Ano North seat from the NDC. The NPP cannot win the Asawase, New Edubiase, Sekyere Afram Plains seats as they claim.”

Reacting to the “agenda 1.5 million votes” target by NDC, Mr Quito said “like I said these things are mere political rhetorics. The NDC will make marginal gains in Ashanti region this year but certainly the party may not hit the 1.5 million mark. It is good they have set target for themselves. It is allowed in politics and I think that is the wise thing any political party going into an election should do.”

Ghanapoliticsonline.com