Professor Adu Gyamfi, a political historian at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), has described the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) target of securing 85% of the votes in the Ashanti Region in the 2024 presidential election as “unscientific” and overly ambitious.

Despite the Ashanti Region being the NPP’s stronghold, Prof. Gyamfi believes the evolving political landscape and economic challenges will make it difficult for the party to reach this goal.

His comments follow a statement by NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi Boasiako, known as Chairman Wontumi, who reiterated the party’s commitment to securing 85% of the vote in the region.

Professor Gyamfi cited economic pressures and the emergence of groups like the New Force and the Movement for Change as factors that could impede the NPP’s ability to reach its target.

He also commended NPP presidential candidate Dr Mahamudu Bawumia for engaging directly with voters but noted that winning re-election remains challenging for incumbent parties in the current climate.

“Dr. Bawumia has indeed shown respect to Ghanaians, coming to them to their doorsteps to demand their vote he knows that in the second term of the incumbent government, you don’t have incumbency advantage.

“It means he has studied the history of elections in the fourth republic and knows that the second term is not a child’s play so he is not taking anything for granted”

He, however, cautioned the opposition National Democratic Congress not to be complacent and warned, that the NPP’s Presidential Candidate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia is likely to emerge victorious should the election be pushed into a run-off.

“I am sure the NDC is not assuming that they have the elections because they are in the eighth year. They must roll their sleeves and make sure that in the few days left to elections, they cross their Ts and dot their Is. If Doctor Mahamudu Bawumia is able to push this election to a run-off he is likely to win and become the next president, the NDC should not assume that they have won this election.”