Forget about 85% votes in Ashanti – Ephson tells NPP

Pollster Ben Ephson has said it is far-fetched for the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) to eye an 85% vote in the Ashanti region.

The region serves as the stronghold of the Danquah-Busia-Dombo tradition, but the election analyst believes it is impossible for its flagbearer Nana Akufo-Addo to reach such target.

In 2012, Nana Akufo-Addo polled 1,531,152 representing 70.86% as against John Mahama’s 612,616 (28.35%).

Speaking on Starr Today Wednesday, Ephson said the NPP may better their performance, but it is not likely they will hit that mark.

Meanwhile, the pollster has also served notice to the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) to forget about their one million votes target in the Ashanti region.

The NDC is hoping to garner that votes come the 2016 general elections in a bid to retain power.

According to Ephson, who is the editor of the Daily Dispatch newspaper, the mantra of “One million votes in Ashanti” would not hold.

His assertion is being supported by Nana Addo.

The three-time presidential candidate of the largest opposition party in Ghana has described it as nothing more than a mirage which will not see the light of day.

But Nana Akufo-Addo has assured NPP faithful that the party’s leadership has targeted nothing less than 85% of the popular vote in the region, reassuring them that “we will get it in 2016.”

Nana Akufo-Addo made the declaration when the Member of Parliament for the Subin Constituency in the Ashanti region, together with constituency chairman, Francis Boamah, and some 200 NPP women from the constituency, comprising polling station executives and other members, called on him at his Nima Residence Wednesday.

“Ghana is retrogressing under the Mahama government. All the gains chalked by President Kufuor have been eroded within six years of the NDC government taking over the reins of office. We have a duty as members of the NPP to make sure Ghana works again, and we have no choice but to win the 2016 election,” Nana Addo said.