Boadu opens early lead in NPP chairmanship contest, but nearly half remain undecided
By Boakye Stephen,Kumasi, Ghana | Reporting for Ghanaian News Canada
Former New Patriotic Party General Secretary John Boadu is currently ahead of his major contenders in the race for the party’s National Chairmanship, according to the latest poll released by Global InfoAnalytics.
The survey puts Mr Boadu at 27 percent, followed by former Energy Minister Boakye Agyarko with 15 percent and former NPP National Chairman Paul Afoko with 10 percent.
But perhaps the most significant feature of the poll is the size of the undecided bloc.
As many as 47 percent of NPP voters surveyed did not identify a preferred candidate, leaving considerable room for the rankings to change as the internal contest progresses.
Mr Boadu also records the strongest overall favourability among the three leading contenders. His favourable rating stands at 61 percent, against 12 percent unfavourable, giving him a net favourability score of 49 percent.
Mr Agyarko records 50 percent favourable and 17 percent unfavourable, while Mr Afoko has 50 percent favourable against 18 percent unfavourable.
Regional results also give Mr Boadu a notable advantage in several parts of the country.
He records 43 percent in Bono East, 38 percent in Greater Accra, 38 percent in North East, 29 percent in the Northern Region, 41 percent in Upper East and 27 percent in the Central Region.
Mr Agyarko, however, remains competitive in selected areas, recording 23 percent in Bono East, 22 percent in Greater Accra and 21 percent in the Central Region.
Commentary
The figures should not be interpreted as a prediction of the final election result. With almost half of respondents yet to settle on a candidate, the race remains highly fluid.
The survey nevertheless provides an early snapshot of the contest and suggests that mobilisation, regional structures and the ability of candidates to convert undecided voters could become decisive factors in the months ahead.
