Most Respondents Preferred Adutwum As Running Mate – KNUST Professor Discloses.
Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, Former Education Minister and MP for Bosomtwi
The Vice Dean of the Political Science and History Department at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Professor Samuel Adu-Gyamfi says Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, the 2024 running mate to Dr Bawumia of the NPP added nothing positive to the NPP’s campaign and its flag-bearer.
Addressing the media in Kumasi on Wednesday about findings from a research conducted ahead of the 2024 general election regarding who was ideal to partner Dr Bawumia of the NPP, the outspoken academician said even though Dr Opoku Prempeh was popular within the NPP, his appeal and acceptability and influence in the public domain was low and undesirable.
Speaking to the research findings, Professor Adu-Gyamfi said 47% persons sampled out of 1,500 persons engaged felt Dr Napo negatively impacted the fortunes of the flag-bearer of the NPP.
“In terms of influence and public perception about Dr Napo, 47.29% believed Dr Napo negatively influenced the campaign of the flag-bearer while 32% felt the running mate did something good with 20% saying Napo had no influence on the NPP campaign”, Professor Adu-Gyamfi stated.
Ideal Candidate:
Based on the research, the Vice-Dean said the sampled number preferred the former Education Minister, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum as running mate to Dr Bawumia.
The respondents believed the conduct and personal attributes of Dr Adutwum made him ideal to partner Dr Bawumia to enhance the electoral fortunes of the NPP.
He noted that 53.14% of respondents sampled preferred Dr Adutwum to partner Dr Bawumia, adding that 32% liked Dr Napo with Bryan Acheampong, Frema Osei Opare and Naa Torshie Addo following with single digits.
“Our research showed that 53.14% including neutrals within the voting population preferred Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum to all those named in the poll”, the KNUST Professor posited.
Rationale:
Giving the rationale behind the research, Dr Adu-Gyamfi said the Department decided to carry out same to gauge opinions and shape political discussions.
He also noted that same was conducted to inform the public and political actors about how perceptions work in politics and elections.
The University lecturer stated that the Department would continue to carry out such research and put its findings out so that it can shape the way and manner politics is conducted in Ghana.
” This research should have been research should have been released earlier but we knew the NPP jad made a choice. However we as academics and intellectuals believe that elections or politics is an art of science and that to arrive at good conclusions and outcomes research should be encouraged at all levels”, the Lead researcher stated.
Source: Ghana/otecfmghana.com/ Michael Ofosu-Afriyie, Kumasi.
