The governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) have rubbished claims by the flag bearer of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP), Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom that the two dominant parties are scared of the impact he would make in the December polls.
Dr Nduom, addressing party supporters as part of his Thank You tour after having won a case at the Accra High Court against the Electoral Commission (EC) to give him an opportunity to correct anomalies on his nomination form, said both the NPP and the NDC were afraid of the PPP.
Reacting to the assertion on 12Live on Class 91.3FM on Monday October 31, Mustapha Hamid, spokesperson for the flag bearer of the NPP said Dr Nduom is no threat to the party.
“…That cannot be the case, we cannot be afraid of Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom. Dr Nduom has contested in about two elections in 2008 as CPP candidate and 2012 as PPP candidate and he doesn’t even have one seat in parliament, so, I’m not sure that he is such a formidable force that will strike [fear] in our hearts…” he stated.
On the part of the NDC, campaign spokesperson for the party, Joyce Bawah-Mogtari said Dr Nduom will not make any difference in the polls.
“This is not the first time the PPP has actually been on the ballot paper, so, I don’t think that will actually make any difference. …Indeed, if they are on the ballot paper, it’s welcome news. You recall that President Mahama actually contested once before in 2012 and won by popular vote, so, I have no doubt that whether the PPP is on the ballot paper or not, I don’t think it will even make any difference,” she noted.
Also joining the debate was the head of the department of communication studies at the University of Cape Coast, Dr Eric Opoku Mensah who agreed with the positions of the NPP and NDC.
“I do not think they are going to hurt any particular party.” According to him, any argument to that effect would be out of place. “…Certainly it is possible that followers of these two parties … might want to follow the PPP but not necessarily that the emergence of the PPP will particularly hurt NDC or the NPP,” he said.
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