Nii Noi going independent better for NPP - Ben Ephson
Pollster and Journalist, Ben Ephson Jnr. is urging the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to count the decision by Valentino Nii Noi Nortey, now defeated parliamentary aspirant for Klottey Korle constituency in the Greater Accra Region, to go independent, as a blessing.
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Nii Noi announced Wednesday he will contest the constituency parliamentary seat as an independent candidate following an unfavourable re-run primary.
Ben Ephson says while the decision to go independent may not be in the best interest of the party, the other alternative opened to Nii Noi and short of his return to the fold of the NPP, could have more devastating effect for the party, especially as it relates to the party’s desire to capture the presidency.
According to the pollster who spoke on Muntie FM Thursday, Nii Noi could also have chosen to accept the outcome of the latest poll resulting from the poorly handled constituency primary, and in so doing, sit out of the 2016 polls entirely.
The effect will be that his supporters would also sit out and not vote at all, either in the parliamentary or presidential polls, which will then impact how many votes the party’s presidential candidate garners.
With his decision to go independent, Ephson explained, Nii Noi is likely to also campaign for the party’s presidential candidate as he campaigns for votes for himself.
Either way however, Ben Ephson said the NPP may as well forget about the parliamentary seat, currently held by the National Democratic Congress, as a split of NPP votes between Nii Noi and current candidate, Philip Addison, or a total sit out by followers of Nii Noi, can only point to an NDC victory.
Nii Noi Nortey won the initial primary held in August 2015, garnering 393 votes as against 22 votes by Addison and 19 votes by Adjei Tawiah. However on February 27 when the poll was re-run following a lawsuit by Addison, he polled 396 votes while Nii Noi polled 367 votes. Adjei Tawiah however opted out.
