Anyidoho, Allotey Jacob situation will not affect NDC in 2024 – Ben Ephson

The respective dismissal and suspension of Bernard Allotey Jacobs and Koku Anyidoho by the National Democratic Congress will have no significant impact on the party’s chances in the 2024 elections, renowned pollster, Ben Ephson, has said.

According to him, the stature of the two men within the context of Ghanaian politics is such that the NDC will suffer no loss with its decision to ostracize them.

Comparing the development to the Afoko-Kwabena Agyapong situation five years ago, Ben Ephson proffered that if the NPP could galvanize its support base and win the 2016 elections, he does not see why the NDC should not do the same.

“I don’t think so, the NPP even went further, an elected chairman, general secretary and one vice-chairperson, they were all suspended from the party but the party won the 2016 elections. You have the choice of keeping quiet and seeing more cases of indiscipline by putting your foot down,” he said.

Ephson added: “I mean Koku Anyidoho, deputy general secretary, Allotey Jacobs, regional chairman, their stature is big but it is not as big as Afoko, national chairman, Kwabena Agyepong, general secretary and Crabbe, vice-chairperson, the NPP’s own was far bigger than the NDC one.”

Ben Ephson also held that the NDC will be shooting itself in the foot if it opts for a flagbearer other than John Dramani Mahama.

He explained that the party could suffer the same fate as the NPP in 2008 if some members decide to contest Mahama for the position.

“2024 is about more than three years away, fortunately for the NDC, moving ahead to 2024 I think the only person that majority of the grassroots will rely on to give the NPP a good run for their money is John Mahama if there was nobody like that, the party could be shaken a bit,” he said.

“If the NDC does not take Mahama they will have a difficult time ahead towards 2024 because the NPP has a history of becoming weakened in the aftermath of electing a new flagbearer for the election and 2024 is no different,” the pollster said

He added: “So if the NDC also decides to have a new candidate they will be at par but with Mahama… what negative thing are you going to say against him that will cause disaffection that you haven’t said in 2016 and 2020. In that case, the NDC has a chance of perhaps maintaining Mahama.”