New poll puts Akufo-Addo ahead of Mahama

With 120 days more to the December 7 elections, an online opinion poll indicates that if the elections were held in July, leader of the largest opposition party, New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Akufo-Addo would obtain 49% of votes cast while the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) candidate, President John Dramani Mahama, would secure 44% of votes cast.

The Progressive People’s Party’s (PPP) candidate, Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom, garnered 6% of the votes while Ivor Greenstreet, presidential candidate of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), secured 1% of the votes.

The remaining seven presidential candidates scored zero in the online poll directed by Isma-il Sulaiman and Bernard Boachie-Danquah.

They are Dr. Edward Mahama of the People’s National Convention (PNC); Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings of the National Democratic Party (NDP); Hassan Ayariga of All People's Congress (APC); Jacob Osei Yeboah, Independent; Akwasi Addae Odike, United People's Party (UPP); Henry Lartey, Great Consolidated People’s Party (GCPP), and Akua Donkor, Ghana Freedom Party.

A total of 1,644 Ghanaian adult respondents, aged 18 and above, took part in the poll conducted by Goodman AMC.

It comprises 1,052 likely male voters and 592 likely female voters.

In the previous survey that preceded this one, Nana Akufo-Addo led by 13 percentage points with 54% as against 41 percentage points for President Mahama.

However, 49% of likely Ghanaian voters now say they will back Nana Akufo-Addo, a dip of 5 percentage points, while 44% will vote for Mahama, an increase of 3 percentage points.

When respondents were given an option to choose a third party candidate they would ever consider voting for aside Mahama and Akufo-Addo, Papa Kwesi Nduom came out strongest and stood at 71% support, followed by Ivor Greenstreet at 15%.

Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings followed with 9% and Edward Mahama at 5%.

Though Nduom happens to be the strongest third party candidate, he has been scoring very low for a third-party candidate in polls when his name is included alongside Mahama and Nana Akufo-Addo.

Nduom has averaged 4% support in opinion polls conducted by Goodman AMC since March 2016 till now.

His support has not been able to register in the double-digits, according to data from Goodman AMC’s Opinion Polls.

Most likely voters say they have made up their minds about who to support; 82% of Mahama voters and 88% of Akufo-Addo voters say their choice is set.

About one in ten of each candidate’s supporters say their minds might change before the election.

The poll result suggests that a wide majority of male voters, 59%, support Akufo-Addo while a plurality of women, 64%, is for Mahama.

Differences also exist between likely voters with a college degree and those without a college education.

A majority of likely voters without a college education support Mahama. Among likely voters who are college graduates, 47% back Akufo-Addo to 43% for Mahama.

Also, 84% of Mahama’s supporters say they are very enthusiastic about their candidate while 71% of Akufo-Addo supporters also express this feeling.

Further, 93% of likely voters say they will definitely be voting on December 7 while 7% say they probably will.

This, therefore, gives a clear forecast for a high overall voter turnout of electorates this year.

HIGHLIGHTS

Akufo-Addo, 49%; Mahama, 44%, in latest Goodman AMC Opinion Poll.

68% of respondents feel frustrated by the current power outages.

Respondents mention the economy (39%), jobs and unemployment (26%), agriculture (12%) and corruption (8%) as major challenges facing Ghanaians.

77% of respondents support Akufo-Addo’s 1-district, 1-factory policy.

President Mahama’s job approval ratings jump to 46%.

79% of respondents say they are not satisfied with the current subsidies on electricity tariffs.

Parliament’s approval ratings slip to 27%.