Post-Election Revelation: Voters Preferred Adutwum To Napo … Says KNUST Research Report

A survey conducted ahead of the December 2024 elections revealed that former Education Minister, Dr. Osei Yaw Adutwum, was the preferred choice for the running mate position for the presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

According to the research, the data on the ideal running mate for Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia showed that 53.14% of respondents considered Dr. Adutwum as “the best choice.”

The former Energy Minister, Dr. Mathew Opoku-Prempeh, is the second most popular option, garnering 32.24% of the votes.

It states that Bryan Acheampong, Frema Opare and Naa Torshie Addo received significantly less support, with 6.21%, 5.06% and 3.35% respectively.

“This distribution indicates a strong preference for Dr. Adutwum as the vice-presidential candidate, suggesting that his potential running mate appeal could have been more favourable, compared to the other contenders,” the research report stated.

Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum was perceived favourably by 53.14% of respondents as the ideal running mate for his contribution as Education Minister, particularly his efforts to modernise the education sector.

TIMING

The research was led by Professor Samuel Adu-Gyamfi, with the Historical Society of KNUST (HISOK) and Political Science Association (POSA), under the History and Political Science Department of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).

The 15-page report, sighted by The Chronicle, is titled “The strategic impact of vice-presidential candidacy on the New Patriotic Party’s 2024 electoral prospects: A survey of public perceptions and preferences.”

Though undertaken in 2024, the results of the survey were made public on Wednesday, February 26, 2025 months after the choice of a running mate for the NPP and the general elections.

When The Chronicle contacted the lead researcher, Professor Samuel Adu-Gyamfi on phone, he took his time to explain why the research report is being released now.

Prof. Adu-Gyamfi, apart from authenticating the report, indicated that the choice of a running mate was made while the survey was underway.

According to him, in order not to jeopardise the campaign of the NPP, especially when the outcome of the report was in contrast to the choice, a decision was made not to release it, stating that the report appeared late.

When asked why releasing it now, Prof. Adu-Gyamfi noted that it became necessary because of the outcome of the general elections, which did not end well for the NPP.

He stated that, because the conversation among the NPP and a section of Ghanaians has been to identify the cause of the party’s abysmal showing at the last polls, the outcome of the survey conducted even before the elections would help in the postmortem process.

He called on stakeholders in the politics of the country to collaborate with his outfit as it conducts more surveys to positively shape the landscape.

POSITIVE IMPACT

The survey also found out which of the individuals would have had a positive impact on Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s campaign. The report said that Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum was seen as the most beneficial, with 58.56% of respondents believing he would have the greatest positive influence, while Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh had 14.69% of respondents.

Also, Bryan Acheampong was considered influential by 13.34%, Frema Opare and Naa Torshie Addo were seen as having a less significant impact, with 7.42% and 5.99% respectively.

“This suggests a strong preference for Dr. Yaw Adutwum as the candidate who could have potentially enhanced the campaign’s effectiveness the most,” the research identified.

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

The survey of 1,402 respondents provided a detailed view of the electorate’s opinions on the candidacy of vice president, alongside Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.

The report said that demographically, the sample was nearly balanced between genders, with 49.71% male and 50.29% female respondents.

The study emphasised the importance of aligning campaign strategies with voter expectations and suggested that the NPP may need to address dissatisfaction and enhance their appeal to effectively capitalise on electoral opportunities.

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