Els: MBN360 News
A field survey by a Ghanaian academic has placed Johnson Asiedu Nketiah in the lead among potential contenders for the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer race, ahead of an expected internal contest.
Prof Smart Sarpong, Director of Research and Innovation at Kumasi Technical University, said the study sampled eight of Ghana’s 16 regions, covering 100 constituencies and 2,350 communities between April 14 and April 19.
He said a total of 6,735 respondents participated, split evenly between members of the general public and NDC delegates. Sarpong said the findings showed greater enthusiasm among party delegates compared to the general public regarding the upcoming internal race.
“For the preferences and how the potential candidates are doing, my study has confirmed the lead of Asiedu Nketiah,” he said during an interview on The Forum, aired on Asaase Radio on Saturday (25 April).
The survey also placed Haruna Iddrisu in second position, followed by Eric Opoku in third, Ato Forson in fourth, Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang in fifth, and Julius Debrah in sixth.
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Sarpong said some figures, including Kojo Bonsu and Joshua Alabi, were not prominently mentioned in the sampled regions but were noted by some delegates as potential entrants.
He said 34.5% of the general public and 17.5% of delegates remained undecided, indicating significant room for change ahead of the formal contest.
Sarpong cautioned that the findings were not predictive but rather indicative of current perceptions.
“This is not a predictive model,” he said, adding that the study would be repeated once candidates formally enter the race.
He noted that delegates cited various reasons for their preferences, including experience, communication skills, grassroots engagement, and party loyalty.
Sarpong also highlighted age as a potential factor in the contest, noting that some leading figures would be in their late 50s to late 70s by 2028, which could influence delegate considerations.
