Politics of Saturday, 1 January 2005

Source: DAILY GUIDE

NDC is a party in decline - Akomea

Contrary to claims by certain leaders of the NDC that the Party made a strong showing in the just ended December polls, Information Minister Nana Akomea contends the election has exposed NDC as a Party in decline.

According to him, results from the four elections held since Ghana returned to democratic governance 1992, indicate strongly that NDC was steadily declining in both presidential and parliamentary elections thereby losing its support-base.

He told the DAILY GUIDE in Accra that since the inception of the 4th Republic Constitution, when then Chairman Rawlings handed over power to President Rawlings after winning 58 per cent of the polls, the NDC has consistently been on a downward trend, with the Party?s strength reducing to 44 per cent in the December 7, 2004 elections.

The Minister pointed out that while NDC is steadily reducing in strength, the NPP has grown from 31 per cent in 1992 to 39 per cent in 1996, and 52 per cent in 2004. NDC also slumped from 189 parliamentary seats in 1992, at a time when the main opposition Party, the NPP boycotted the polls.

The NDC had 133 seats in 1996 and 92 seats in 2000 election, as well as 94 seats in 2004 despite the expansion of the seats from 200 to 230.