Results released by the Electoral Commission so far shows a straight fight between the ruling NDC and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) with the latter clearly ahead. The NPP has won 52 out of a total of 70 seats as at mid-night Friday December 9. Some of the seats were won at areas hitherto regarded as NPP strongholds.
However many Ghanaians, are disappointed at the performance of the other opposition parties especially Goosie Tanoh’s National Reform Party (NRP). Political pundits are of the view that the campaign message of the Reform Party was good, many accepted it, and accepted not to vote for the NDC but most of them saw an alternative in the NPP rather than the Reform and therefore voted for it instead. Thus, the NPP benefited from the protest voters.
In the run-up to the elections, analysts held the view that the NRP was going to be the third force aside the two front-runners, the NPP and the NDC. It was on the assumed strength of the party that many predicted a second round of voting. On the contrary however, Mr. Dan Lartey’s “domestication” concept seems to have gone down well with the people, hence his surprise showing so far in the elections.
The performance of the Convention People’s Party (CPP) has been described as disappointing. Pundits are of the view that the message of the CPP is a bit outmoded and does not appeal to the majority of the people, mainly the youth. It is believed that for the CPP to pull the crowd again and make any meaningful impact on subsequent elections, it must re-package its message. Although the ideas and ideals of the late Dr. Kwame Nkrumah might still be relevant, it might not mean a lot to this generation, unless it is packaged in a way that would identify with them.
It is not surprising therefore that reports indicate that the Presidential Candidate of the CPP has already conceded defeat with more than eight million results left to be announced
