Mussa Dankwah, Executive Director of Global InfoAnalytics, has defended his organization’s polls concerning the National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer race, asserting they streamline leadership contests rather than create divisions. His remarks on X follow criticism that the surveys generate unnecessary tension within the party by highlighting potential presidential contenders.
Sanitizing the Race
Dankwah argued that his organization’s work helps to “sanitise the race coming” by providing transparency and manageability. He suggested that the NDC should be grateful for this contribution to the internal selection process.
He believes opinion polling serves as a crucial guide for both individual aspirants and the political party as a whole. “If nothing at all, the NDC should be thanking me for helping sanitise the race coming,” Dankwah stated in a video shared on the social media platform X.
Lessons from the Past
Drawing a parallel with the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) 2007 presidential primary, Dankwah pointed to the negative consequences of an overcrowded contest. “Let’s remember in 2007, there was no polling in this country and every aspirant, everybody who thought he had a chance, was contesting to run NPP,” he recalled.
This lack of prior assessment, he explained, led to a situation where 17 candidates vied for the nomination. “What happened? We had 17 candidates thinking that they could win. And up to today, the party is paying for that price,” Dankwah added, implying lasting repercussions for the NPP.
Informed Aspirants, Streamlined Contests
Dankwah contended that credible polling empowers prospective candidates to accurately gauge their support levels. This assessment is vital among both the general public and party delegates before they invest substantial resources into a campaign.
“If Global Info had been in existence, helping aspirants or hopefuls understand the thinking of the people and the thinking of the delegates, some of them would have ruled themselves out,” he explained.
He suggested that without such data, candidates can be misled by individuals with vested interests. “They wouldn’t have allowed themselves to be manipulated by people who have an interest in just making money out of them. They would have scaled it down to a reasonable number,” Dankwah stated.
Preventing Overcrowding
The pollster emphasized that his organization’s polls should be viewed as a strategic tool. Its purpose is to prevent an unwieldy number of candidates and foster a more orderly selection process within the party.
“NDC must look beyond just the polls and understand that what we are doing is helping those who may have ambition but have no chance to reconsider their options and avoid overcrowding the race,” he urged.
Private Commissioned Polls
Dankwah further disclosed that Global InfoAnalytics has conducted private surveys for individuals considering political bids. In several instances, these potential candidates abandoned their ambitions after the poll findings indicated limited electoral viability.
“One thing, if nothing at all, they should give us credit for doing that because some people have come to us, some people who thought they had chances have come to us, and they’ve done private polling, and the poll had indicated that they are not viable, and they have shelved their ambition,” he said.
This, he believes, saved them from potential deception. “Thanks to us. They are happy they have not allowed themselves to be deceived by any media person saying you are on the ground,” Dankwah concluded.
Future Implications
As the NDC navigates its internal selection process, the role and impact of polling organizations like Global InfoAnalytics will likely remain a subject of discussion. The effectiveness of such data in shaping candidate decisions and party strategies will be closely watched in the lead-up to future elections.
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