Pollster Ben Ephson has stated that a flagbearer hopeful of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kennedy Agyapong, has significantly diminished his chances of leading the party due to his behavior, particularly his public statements.
Mr Ephson believes that NPP delegates are aware that Ghanaian swing voters may not vote for Ken in the presidential election because of his perceived lack of “maturity.” Consequently, they are unlikely to select him as the party’s flagbearer.
He made these remarks during an interview on Kofi TV on Thursday, November 3, 2023.
He added that Ken Agyapong lost a substantial portion of his supporters when he threatened to have a “showdown” with President Akufo-Addo and Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia during the NPP’s Special Delegates Conference in August 2023.
Mr Ephson explained, “You think the delegates are not wise? Many of them would elect a candidate who would appeal to swing voters. On the night he did the showdown thing, I called him and told him that he had cut away 10 percent of his support.
“If people are saying your agent has been locked or attacked what has that got to do with the president and the vice president of the country? Floating voters would want a candidate who can act maturely. This is not maturity; this is somebody who is following his heart,” he said in Twi.
He also highlighted that the behavior displayed by Ken Agyapong during the incident did not reflect maturity and was not in line with what floating voters typically seek in a candidate.
Kennedy Agyapong had confronted President Akufo-Addo and Vice President Dr. Bawumia during the special delegate congress, where he expressed his dissatisfaction with the handling of his agent at a voting center.
He believed that associates of the vice president were responsible for these actions.
“President Akufo-Addo, I swear God, I will give you a showdown. Vice president, I will give you a showdown. You’ve chased away my agent for him to hide in a room, we shall see. You will hear what will happen. I swear God, I will challenge President Akufo-Addo anytime.”
With Alan Kyerematen out of the race, Kennedy Agyapong now has an opportunity to challenge Dr. Bawumia directly, as well as indirectly challenge President Akufo-Addo, as many have speculated that Akufo-Addo supports the vice president’s bid to succeed him.
The NPP’s presidential primaries were scheduled for Saturday, November 4, 2023, with four candidates, including Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Kennedy Agyapong, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, and Francis Addai-Nimoh, competing to become the party’s presidential candidate for the 2024 elections.