Executive Director and Head of Research at Global InfoAnalytics, Musa Danquah, has cautioned the New Patriotic Party (NPP) against electing Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, as its National Chairman while he remains incarcerated.
Mr Danquah believes the NPP should prioritise rebuilding its electoral fortunes and broadening its appeal ahead of the next general election rather than electing a chairman from prison as a political statement.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Top Story, the pollster said the NPP must carefully consider the political consequences of electing Mr Boasiako while he is serving a prison sentence.
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“I don’t think he will win… Because you see, the NPP needs a direction. They need to find a way to win the next election. Electing Wontumi from prison will not make that possible. They should be realistic about these things. Wontumi is not Mandela.”
Mr Musa Danquah said Ghana’s electorate has changed significantly, with an increasing number of voters attaining higher levels of education.
According to him, this changing voter profile requires political parties, including the NPP, to adopt new strategies and leadership approaches that appeal to a more sophisticated electorate.
“Polling shows that the majority of Ghanaian voters are highly educated now. Nearly 70% of them have senior high and above qualifications,” he said.
The Global InfoAnalytics executive director argued that the NPP must take the changing political landscape into account as it seeks to recover from its defeat in the 2024 general election.
Mr Danquah further claimed that the NPP has lost significant support among elite voters and warned that electing Chairman Wontumi when he is incarcerated would not help the party regain that constituency.
“So, the political situation has changed dramatically in this country. And these are the people who want a new type of politics. And already the polls are showing that NPP has lost their elite voters,” he said.
He added that the party’s current approach could make it more difficult to reconnect with voters who are looking for a different style of political leadership.
“These shenanigans will not attract elite voters to NPP. And these are the people they need to start winning their hearts and minds to win the next election,” he added.
Mr Danquah’s comments come amid controversy surrounding Chairman Wontumi’s decision to contest the NPP National Chairmanship position despite being incarcerated.
His campaign team has picked up nomination forms on his behalf, setting the stage for a potentially contentious contest over his eligibility and the broader political implications of his candidacy.
For Musa Danquah, the NPP’s priority should be to identify a leadership direction capable of expanding the party’s support base, restoring trust and winning back voters ahead of the next electoral contest.
Myjoyonline