Three surveys have tipped Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, the Energy Minister, as the preferred candidate for the running mate slot of the New Patriotic Party.
Research Trust Limited, renowned Statistics Research and Data Management Consultant, Professor Smart Sarpong, as well as National Investigation Bureau (NIB) have all named Dr Prempeh as leading in the NPP running mate race, in surveys they have conducted.
A nationwide survey, organised by Research Trust Ltd, a group linked to popular NPP think tank, Dankwa Institute (DI) and led by Mr. Hayford Mensah Ayerakwa, has pronounced Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, also known as Napo, as the running mate preferred by executives of the NPP to break the 8 in the upcoming 2024 elections.
The survey was organised over a three-week period in all sixteen (16) administrative regions, as part of the NPP flagbearer’s nationwide tour.
A total of 140 constituencies were sampled for the survey, using factors such as the total number of the constituencies in the region, with a higher consideration for regions where NPP had more votes in 2016 and 2020.
Research Trust interviewed four constituency executives and three polling station executives from randomly selected polling stations, resulting in a total of 560 constituency level data and 720 polling station level interviews.
The respondents, by an overwhelming 92%, agreed that the next running mate of the NPP should come from the Ashanti Region, and when asked who in the Ashanti Region can better support the flagbearer as a running mate, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh led with 70% votes from respondents, amid nine other competing names.
Reasons for Napo scoring that high mark in the survey are that he is resourceful and can face the opposition boot for boot, and he is someone who understands grassroots politics. He is also said to have good leadership skills, generous and kind, as well as being a known party faithful.
The survey, which was based on the question as to who the running mate would be if elections were held today, based on first time voters, also mentioned Napo as a very popular candidate as well as marketable.
Details of the survey showed that Akosua Frema Osei-Opare had 10% while Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum got 9%. Others are Henry Kwabena Kokofu (7.4%), Bryan Acheampong (1.2%), Naa Toshie Addo (1%) and Joseph Osei Owusu (0.6%).
The rest are Asamoah Boateng (0.4%), Prof. Mrs. Rita. Akosua Dickson (0.4%).
Napo scored very high on all the indicators, including popularity and marketability of the candidate (81%) and emerged as someone who could face the NDC boot for boot (78%), someone who understands grassroots politics (78%) and a known party faithful (71%).
The research group further observed that if the NPP intends to ‘break the 8’ in the 2024 general elections, the choice of a running mate will be crucial and while the masses at the polling stations play no role in the selection of running mate, they are the people that prosecute the party’s agenda and, therefore, their voices must be taken into consideration.
The survey by the Research Trust Limited is the latest to confirm Napo’s lead in the race for running mate of the NPP, following widely circulated reports of a similar lead in another survey by the National Investigation Bureau (NIB).
In another survey, dubbed “party level expectations survey” by Professor Smart Sarpong, Director of Research and Innovations of the Kumasi Technical University (KsTU), Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh scored 35.6% to lead Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum who scored 14.5%.
The other candidates who trailed are Henry Kwabena Kokofu (10.4%), Apostle Prof. Opoku Onyina (8.5%), Frema Osei-Opare (4.3%) and any choice (26.8%).
The survey, which sampled views of 3,577 participants, was carried out in 61 constituencies across six regions (Ashanti, Western, Greater Accra, Ahafo, Bono and Bono East regions).
The survey suggested that the flagbearer must also consider selecting a person who is also acceptable to non-party members.
It also identified qualities in a running mate for consideration by the flagbearer as grassroots mobilisation, party unity, party executives motivation, resources and logistics support, competence and human relations, among others.
