News about supporters of the National Democratic Congress defecting to the New Patriotic Party and vice versa has been on the rise towards the December 7 general elections.

Many have wondered about the motivation behind these moves, but according to Ghanaian Pollster, Ben Ephson the phenomena is “just a game” played by political parties in election years.

He explained in an interview with GhanaWeb that election year happens to be a cocoa season for party supporters who wish to trade their membership for money and other benefits.

"Every time getting to elections, it is their cocoa season. They come out to announce, they take photographs to show that they’ve left one party for the other to go and lobby for some money, it’s a game,” Mr. Ephson stated in an interview with GhanaWeb.

He added that in some instances, political parties with the mindset of creating political war just to cause the general public to believe that the defectors count their party as better option undergo this process.

He noted that political parties who are seen to be at the losing end give little or no attention to such cases as they know the rules of the game.

When questioned on whether the movement can cause electorates to have a change of mind when voting, he indicated that it does have any effect on voters.

“These political parties themselves know that it is a game, they will not mind them… they are not bothered as such,” he told GhanaWeb.