Dr. Kwame Asah-Asante
In what may come as unsurprising news to political pundits, a senior lecturer at the Political Science Department of the University of Ghana, Dr. Kwame Asah-Asante, has expressed skepticism about the chances of Alan Kyerematen winning the next presidential elections as an independent candidate.
Dr. Asah-Asante spoke on GTV on September 27, 2023. He noted that Ghana’s political system has been dominated by two parties, the NPP and the NDC, and that the environment does not easily accommodate a third force.
“Unlike other countries, the two-party system does not allow for a third force. So, if you are a party and you said you are a third force you want to come in, they will smoke you out, you won’t survive,” he said.
“Mr. Kyerematen is not going as a third force. He is going as an independent candidate within the realms of a third force,”
He believes Mr. Kyerematen is not going as a third force, but rather as an independent candidate within the realms of a third force.
The political scientist advised that the independent candidacy may not be viable in the long run, and warned that victory might be elusive. He cited historical data from past elections showing that small parties putting together their performance do not go beyond 4 percent.
Dr. Asah-Asante cautioned that while Alan Kyerematen could play a role as a “change-maker” in the political landscape, he doesn’t have a realistic chance of winning the presidency.
“If you look at Ghana, I have done research from the year 1992 to 2000 elections, the small parties putting together their performance averagely do not go beyond 4 percent,
It appears that the electorate’s familiarity and loyalty to the two main parties will make it difficult for an independent candidate to gain a foothold. However, only time will tell if Mr. Kyerematen can indeed change the narrative and impact Ghanaian politics in a significant way.
By Vincent Kubi