Has the NDC always won at least eight out of ten regions any time they win elections?
CLAIM: Any time NDC has won elections in this country it has done so by winning at least 8 out of the existing regions?
VERDICT: the NDC has won four presidential elections in Ghana and every time they have won, they have won at least eight out 10 regions. It is however important to note that in the 1992 elections and 1996 elections the NDC didn’t win alone, they won with the progressive alliance which comprised the NDC, EGLE and the DPP. Also in the 1st round of the 2008 elections the NDC won 6 out of 10 regions.
Background
Some time this year, the government deployed military personnel along Ghana’s borders in what they say is an action to police unapproved routes into the country and stop foreigners from entering the country due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Minority in Parliament and the Volta Regional Branch of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) then accused the government of deploying military personnel along the country’s borders in the Volta, Oti and the Northern regions to intimidate residents.
A press conference was organised by the Minority lead by Member of Parliament for Ketu South, Fiifi Kwetey. It is important to note that a lot of the complains of military intimidation was coming from the Ketu South constituency.
While addressing the press conference, Fiifi Kwetey accused the NPP Government of discrimination against the people who hail from the Volta Region. According to him the NPP falsely claims that foreigners present themselves as Ghanaians from the Volta Region to vote in elections to help the NDC win power and in an attempt to act on this false claim, the NPP Government has employed the strategy of military development to harass residents of the volta region and scare them from voting.
Fiifi Kwetey sought to point out to the NPP that the NDC does not need the votes of foreigners to win elections in Ghana
In making this assertion Fiifi Kwetey Said…
“It is high time the NPP family were informed that their humiliating electoral loss to President Rawlings in both the 1992 and 1996 elections, had nothing to do with foreigners from Togo. The Volta region together with 8 other regions voted for President Rawlings and the NDC in both 1992 and 1996. This was an overwhelming support in all the regions of Ghana except one. Infact, there is no previous election the NDC has won in Ghana that the party did not win at least 8 of the 10 regions.” (play sound clip if available)
Verification.
Starr FM Fact checker sought to verify these claims about the Electoral dynamics of Ghana.
It’s important we fact check this claim because the ordinary voter needs to be informed about the electoral dynamics of Ghana and the strengths of the two main political parties (NPP, NDC) in the country according to regions of Ghana including swing regions.
In our research we relied heavily on data from the website of the Electoral Commission of Ghana (https://ec.gov.gh/election-results/) , Wikipedia page on elections in Ghana (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elections_in_Ghana) and Fact Check Ghana. (https://www.fact-checkghana.com/statistics-presidential-parliamentary-election-results/)
The NDC has participated in seven presidential elections in the fourth republic since it’s formation in 1992 and has won four out of the seven. The NDC won In 1992, 1996, 2008 and 2012.
In 1992 and 1996 the NDC was represented by former president JJ Rawlings as flag bearer. In the 2008 elections, the NDC was represented by former president JEA Mills and in 2012 the party was represented by JD Mahama.
It is worth Noting However that in 1992 and 1996 the NDC did win the elections on it’s sole ticket. In 1992 the Presidential Election was won by the progressive alliance which comprised the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP), the Every Ghanaian Living Everywhere (EGLE), and the National Democratic Congress (NDC). Their common candidate was JJ Rawlings from the NDC. This alliance continued through the 1996 elections with the Same candidate.
To verify the claim by Fiifi Kwetey, we need to take a look at election results from the 1992 presidential election.
1992: in 1992, a total of 4,127,876 voted out of a total of 8,229,902 registered voters. 149,811invalid votes were cast. Voter turnout was 50.2%
| Candidate/Party | Number of Votes | Percentage
of Votes |
Number
of Regions Won |
| JJ Rawlings (NDC)
(Progressive Alliance) |
2, 323, 135 | 58.4 |
9 |
| Albert Adu Boahen
(NPP) |
1,204,76 | 30.3 |
1 |
| Hilla Liman (PNC) | 266,710 | 6.7 | |
| Kwabena Darko(NIP) | 113,629 | 2.9 | |
| Emanuel Erskine(PHP) | 69,827 | 1.9 |
1996: in 1996 a total of 7,266,693 voted out of a total of 9,279,605 registered voters. 120,921 invalid votes were cast. Voter turnout was 78.3%
| Candidate/Party | Number of Votes | Percentage
of votes |
No. Regions Won |
| JJ Rawlings
(NDC) (PA) |
4,099,758 | 57.4 | 9 |
| John Kuffour
(NPP) |
2,834,878 | 39.7 | 1 |
| Edward Mahama
(PNC) |
211,136 | 3.0 |
2008: in 2008 a total of 8,671,272 voted out of a total of 12,472,758 registered voters. 205,438 invalid votes were cast. Voter turnout was 69.52%
There was a run off in which a total 9,094,364 voted, an increase in turnout out of 12,472,758 registered voters. In the 2nd round, JEA Mills won with a total of 4,521,032 which is 50.23% of the votes. Nana Akuffo Addo who won in the 1st round garnered 4,480,446 representing 49.77% of the votes. The voter turnout in the runoff was 72.91%
| Candidate/Party
|
No. of votes | Percentage
of votes |
No. of Regions
won |
| JEA Mills
(NDC) |
4,056,634 | 47.9 | 1st round – 6
2nd round- 8 |
| Nana Akuffo
Addo (NPP) |
4,159,439 | 49.13 | 1st round – 4
2nd round – 2 |
| Paa Kwesi
Ndoum(CPP) |
113,494 | 1.34 | |
| Edward Mahama(PNC) | 73,494 | 0.87 | |
| Emmanuel Ansah-Antwi(DFP) | 27,889 | 0.33 | |
| Kwasi
Amoafo-Yeboah (Independent) |
19,342 | 0.23 | |
| Thomas
Ward-Brew(DPP) |
8,653 | 0.10 | |
| Kwabena Adjei(RPD) | 6,889 | 0.08 |
2012: in 2012, a total of 11,246,982 voted out of 14,158,890 registered voters. 251,720 invalid votes were cast. Voter turnout was 79.43%.
| Candidate/Party
|
No. of Votes | Percentage of votes | No. of regions
won |
| JD
Mahama(NDC)
|
5,574,761 | 50.70 | 8 |
| Nana Akuffo
Addo(NPP)
|
5,248,898 | 47.74 | 2 |
| Paa Kwesi Ndoum(PPP)
|
64,362 | 0.59 | |
| Henry Herbert Lartey(GCPP)
|
38,223 | 0.35 | |
| Hassan Ayariga
(PNC)
|
24,617 | 0.22 | |
| Abu Sakara(CPP)
|
20,323 | 0.18 | |
| Jacob Osei Yeboah
(independent) |
15,201 | 0.14 | |
| Akwesi Adai Odike(UFP)
|
8,877 | 0.08 |
One must also take a look at the regional breakdown of the presidential election results and which regions voted in favor of the NDC.
1992 election:
| Region | NDC | NPP |
| Ashanti | 32.24% | 60.97% |
| Brong Ahafo | 62.26% | 29.44% |
| Central | 67.14% | 25.39% |
| Eastern | 56.80% | 38.30% |
| Greater Accra | 53.08% | 37.23% |
| Northern | 62.96% | 16.30% |
| Upper East | 53.91% | 10.47% |
| Upper West | 50.20% | 9.04% |
| Volta | 93.24% | 3.61% |
| Western | 60.73% | 22.79% |
1996 election:
| Region | NDC | NPP |
| Ashanti | 32.79% | 65.80% |
| Brong Ahafo | 61.73% | 35.98% |
| Central | 55.22% | 43.32% |
| Eastern | 53.76% | 45.04% |
| Greater Accra | 53.99% | 43.32% |
| Northern | 61.13% | 33.01% |
| Upper East | 68.99% | 17.35% |
| Upper West | 74.61% | 11.19% |
| Volta | 94.55% | 4.73% |
| Western | 57.30% | 40.89% |
2008 election:
| Region | NDC | NPP |
| Ashanti | 25.90% | 72.65% won |
| Brong Ahafo | 47.70% | 50.56% won |
| Central | 50.58% | 45.97% |
| Eastern | 41.10% | 57.14%won |
| Greater Accra | 53.16% | 44.98% |
| Northern | 57.51% | 37.76% |
| Upper East | 56.06% | 31.36% |
| Upper West | 54.39% | 37.75% |
| Volta | 82.46% | 15.38% |
| Western | 45.63% | 49.40% |
2012 election:
| Region | NDC | NPP |
| Ashanti | 28.35% lost | 70.86% won |
| Brong Ahafo | 51.49% won | 47.33% lost |
| Central | 52.12% won | 45.53% lost |
| Eastern | 42.61% lost | 56.30% won |
| Greater Accra | 52.31% won | 46.92% lost |
| Northern | 58.23% won | 39.11% lost |
| Upper East | 66.44% won | 29.29% lost |
| Upper West | 65.54% won | 29.26% lost |
| Volta | 85.46% won | 12.93% lost |
| Western | 54.42% won | 43.80% lost |
From the data and statistics provided, the NDC overwhelmingly won Presidential elections elections in 1992 and 1996 winning 9 out of 10 Regions but technically speaking, the progressive alliance which comprises the NDC, DPP and EGLE party.
The story is however different considering the 2008 and 2012 elections.
In 2008 in the first round the NDC won 6 out of 10 regions while the Party won 8 out of 10 regions in the 2nd round.
In 2012, the NDC won 8 out of 10 regions.
CONCLUSION
Fiifi Kwetey’s claim is Mostly True. There are however some facts that need to be clarified(omissions and exaggerations) ie the dynamics of the progressive alliance formed for 1992 and 1996 elections and the 1st round of the 2008 elections.
Rating: MOSTLY TRUE
Other Sources:
(http://africanelections.tripod.com/gh.html)
(https://www.graphic.com.gh/elections/presidential)
