CPP Presidential candidate Paa Kwesi Nduom’s remarkable rise in the opinion polls have sent shock waves across the NPP/NDC heartland.
In a poll conducted by Ghana Youth Movement gave Paa Kwesi Nduom 40 per cent as against 35 per cent for Atta Mills and 25 per cent for Nana Akuffo Addo.
Paa Kwesi Nduom commands a clear lead in the Western, Central and the 3 Northern Regions. He is especially popular in the Western and Central regions where a remarkable 60 per cent of the voters said they are certain to vote CPP.
Nana Akuffo Addo, by contrast, is braced for losses following scandals that have affected his party and series of polls that shows the resurgence of CPP in the Western, Central and the three Northern regions. Some recent polls have put the presidential candidates of NDC, NPP and CPP on 30 per cent each, a very close call.
In the three Northern regions opinion towards the NPP has become more hostile throughout the campaign. The two most important factors that voters mention to the pollsters are the “perceived” corruption among NPP functionaries and the neglect of the three northern by the NPP government.
Historically the region with the strongest CPP support is the north, thus the strong support Nduom and the CPP are picking is not a surprise. From 1957 until the overthrown of Nkrumah led CPP, the north enjoyed tremendous investment in health and education. Tamale Secondary School emerged as one of the schools in the country under CPP. 65 per cent of the people in the north would back Paa Kwesi Nduom and CPP.
Paa Kwesi Nduom seems have made less of an impact in Ashanti Region. This is not a surprise since Ashanti region is historically considered as UP/NPP stronghold. A relatively modest 20 per cent support CPP, however if this is translated into votes, CPP are poised to pick such soft NPP seats as Offinso north and south, amongst others.
The Ghana Youth Movement poll found only 20 per cent of voters see NPP as a credible party compared to 30 per cent for NDC and 50 per cent for CPP. Almost half of all voters see Nduom led CPP as the only party that will put the interests of Ghanaians first.
Dr Nii Moi Thompson, an economist and CPP spokes person on Economies and Finance have been urging NPP supporters in Eastern and Greater Accra region, where no one party is dominant to vote wisely in the run off if Nana Akuffo Addo is eliminated in the first round.
The research was carried out by telephone interview between July 23 and 24 by Ghana Youth Movement. The total sample was 12,000.
