Election 2024: Smaller parties, others asked to form third force

The Round-Table Dialogue (RTD), a social purpose think-tank, has asked smaller political parties and independent aspirants to come together as a third force to contest the December general election.  

That, it said, was the only way the smaller parties could present voters with an alternative to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC).  The Secretary of RTD, Dr Ofosu Baako, made the call at a press briefing in Accra last Wednesday.

Context

The Round-Table Dialogue facilitates the formation of Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) to tackle specific issues on leadership, governance, decolonisation and development in the collective interest.  

It seeks to offer the voter only three candidates on each ballot sheet at the time of voting — the NPP and the NDC presidential candidates and the alternative presidential candidate.

Emergence

Dr Baako said the emergence of many political organisations and independent aspirants indicated that many were disgusted about how the country had been ruled over the past 32 years.  

“To resist and overcome oppressors’ rule, we desire one consensus presidential candidate who will contest the December 7, 2024 elections against the NPP and NDC candidates.

Similarly, there should be one consensus parliamentary candidate in all the constituencies to contest against the NDC and NPP candidates,” he said. 

He noted that currently, 14 groups had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the RTD to help provide an alternative for Ghanaians in the upcoming elections. He encouraged all like-minded people to collaborate with the RTD and share their thoughts, resources, skills and strengths to win the parliamentary and presidential seats for the country.

“If you genuinely believe there must be an alternative to the NPP and NDC, sit with us at the round table and dialogue,” he said. 

Strategy

The Chairman of RTD, Explo Nani-Kofi, said the strategy for the smaller parties to come together was not new as it had been tested. He said in the 2020 parliamentary elections, the strategy was implemented in two successive elections in South Dayi, and it worked.  

He said it was that success at the local level that had boosted the RTD’s morale to test the strategy at the national level. - GNA