Former President of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama, has highlighted the potential influence of a third force on Ghana’s general election, drawing parallels with Nigeria’s election process.
According to Mr Mahama, there is a possibility that a third political force could impact the chances of the two major political parties.
In a recent appearance on the KSM show, Mr Mahama noted that Ghana has witnessed the emergence of a third force affecting election outcomes on previous occasions. He mentioned that this phenomenon had happened twice in Ghana’s electoral history.
Drawing comparisons to Nigeria’s political landscape, Mr Mahama referred to Mr Peter Obi, the Presidential candidate of Nigeria’s Labour Party.
He explained that Mr Obi caused an upset by leaving his former party, the PDP (People’s Democratic Party), and joining the Labour Party, where he garnered surprising numbers that significantly influenced his campaign’s success.
Addressing the third force subject, Mr Mahama emphasised that such a phenomenon was not entirely new in Ghanaian politics.
Additionally, he recalled historical instances where the absence of a clear majority led to a second round of elections.
In 2000, a second round was necessary, and in 2008, no party obtained more than 50 percent of the votes until Prof John Atta Mills emerged victorious.
These scenarios, according to Mr Mahama, throw light on the possibility of smaller parties capturing percentage points that might have otherwise benefited the leading parties.
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