DAILY GUIDE has in its possession latest opinion poll results on the New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential aspirants, with a strong indication that most of the contestants are nothing but a bunch of jokers.
The very revealing poll, conducted by the world-acclaimed research firm, Research International (RI), firmly put Nana Akufo-Addo, former Minister of Foreign Affairs ahead of his compatriots, placing Vice President Aliu Mahama in the second position.
Even though the officials of the firm would not authenticate the results when DAILY GUIDE contacted them yesterday because of client confidentiality, the poll clearly indicated that there are only five serious contestants in the presidential race.
With a sample size of 2021 of the targeted 2320 respondents comprising NPP regional and constituency executives across the country and the voting public, the findings put out five aspirants as the forces to reckon with.
?All the candidates were rated on a scale of 1 to 7 on their chances of leading the NPP to victory in the 2008 elections.
A score of closer to one means a candidate has a very poor rating and a score of 7 or closer to 7 means a candidate has a very good chance of leading the NPP to victory.
?Nana Akufo-Addo came out with a clear lead ahead of all the other aspiring candidates. He was followed by Alhaji Aliu Mahama.
?Alan Kyerematen, Yaw Osafo-Maafo and Dr. Addo Kufuor were virtually tied for the third position,? the poll results dubbed ?Project Wave One? indicated.
The results, according to the pollsters, reflect the views of both party executives and voters.
The poll was commissioned to assess the appeal of potential presidential candidates and was carried out between June 22 and July 10, 2007.
According to the pollsters, five aspirants, Dr. Arthur Kennedy, Boakye Kyeremanteng Agyarko, Felix Owusu-Adjapong, Prof Mike Oquaye and Prof Kwabena Frimpong Boateng, who have all picked forms to contest in the party?s December 22 delegates? congress were the least recognized aspirants, recording zero per cent.
Nana Akufo-Addo was the candidate of the party executives, receiving 38 per cent, while the public gave him 30 per cent votes.
His closest rival was Alhaji Aliu Mahama, who had 18 per cent of the party votes and 23 per cent from the voting public.
In the opinion of the NPP executives, the Abuakwa South MP should head the party to face the National Democratic Congress? (NDC) Prof John Evans Atta Mills.
According to the pollsters, ?Nana Akufo-Addo was the preferred aspirant considered capable to beat Prof John Atta Mills in 2008?.
Even though some candidates have derided previous poll results as bogus and vodooistic, this one appears more scientific, showing characteristics of social research.
A previous exercise in which Ghanaians were asked to send in text messages in support of the various candidates put the Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama ahead.
Those who failed to make a good showing subjected the results to all manner of condemnation.
Coming at a time when candidates are beset with the task of intensifying their appeal to the delegates countrywide and picking and completing their nomination forms, the results are likely going to be met with mixed reactions.
For whatever it is worth, the 55-page report under review would afford Ghanaians the opportunity to have an inkling of the rating of the individual candidates as the clock ticks towards the congress date. Read details tomorrow.