For over three decades, two major parties: the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) – deemed to be archnemises, have governed the country.
This duopoly has shaped the country’s democratic narrative since the Fourth Republic began in 1992, when the late former President Jerry John Rawlings won the presidential elections on the ticket of the NDC. Prior to this era, Ghana had witnessed a vibrant political culture with the Convention People’s Party (CPP) at the forefront, securing Ghana’s independence in 1957 under Dr. Kwame Nkrumah’s leadership.
However, since the inception of the Fourth Republic, the CPP and other smaller political entities have struggled to make a significant impact. The once-powerful CPP, along with other parties such as the People’s National Convention (PNC) and the Progressive People’s Party (PPP), has been relegated to the political sidelines.
Despite the multi-party system that Ghana’s democracy allows, the dominance of the NPP and NDC has effectively sidelined any credible competition.
With the approach of the 2024 general elections, calls for a robust third force to challenge the dominance of the NPP and NDC have grown louder.
A growing number of Ghanaians are increasingly disillusioned with the repetitive cycle of governance by these two parties, attributing their dissatisfaction to underwhelming economic progress, unfulfilled promises, rampant corruption, and the persistent mismanagement of state resources.
The Call for Unity Among Smaller Parties
Several Ghanaians, including prominent legal practitioners such as Samson Lardy Anyenini and Martin Kpebu, have strongly advocated for a new political force that can rejuvenate the political landscape and offer a credible alternative to the electorate.
Both Anyenini and Kpebu argue that to break the duopoly, smaller political parties must unite. Anyenini proposes the idea of a “cartel” of smaller political organizations coming together, pooling their resources and collective strength to pose a significant challenge to the two major parties.
This proposed unity of smaller parties would include the CPP, PNC, PPP, and other entities, creating a formidable coalition that could win the trust of the electorate and challenge the status quo.
Kpebu, however, extends this call for unity beyond just political parties. He urges religious bodies, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to form alliances to bolster the prospects of a third political force.
He recalls the TUC’s attempt to form a political party in the 1970s, which ultimately collapsed, but believes this failure should not deter them from trying again.
Both legal experts, along with other like-minded Ghanaians, argue that a strong third force will only emerge through collaboration and a collective push to harness the frustrations and desires of an electorate that is increasingly dissatisfied with the leadership of the NPP and NDC.
The Numbers Tell the Story
2008 elections
Papa Kwesi Nduom (CPP) – 112,673 (1.32%)
Edward Mahama (PNC) – 73,618 (0.86%)
Emmanuel Ansah-Antwi (DFP) – 28,471 (0.33%)
Kwesi Amoafo-Yeboah (Independent candidate) – 19,178 (0.22%)
Thomas Nuako Ward-Brew (DPP) – 8,367 (0.10%)
Kwabena Adjei (RPD) – 6,443 (0.08%)
In the first round of the presidential election, neither Nana Akufo-Addo of NPP nor the late Prof John Evans Atta Mills of the opposition NDC won more than the 50 percent needed to avoid a run-off.
The Electoral Commission declared Atta Mills the winner with 50.23 per cent of the total votes cast in the run-off, against 49.77 per cent for Akufo-Addo.
In 2008, Paa Kwesi Nduom contested on the ticket of the Convention People’s Party (CPP) but four years later, he founded the Progressive People’s Party (PPP) and contested on its ticket in the subsequent elections.
2012 elections
John Mahama (NDC) – 5,573,572 (50.63%)
Akufo-Addo (NPP) – 5,263,286 (47.81%)
Paa Kwesi Nduom (PPP) – 64,267 (0.58%)
Henry Herbert Lartey (GCPP) – 38,250 (0.35%)
Hassan Ayariga (APC) – 24,621 (0.22%)
Abu Sakara (CPP) – 20,109 (0.18%)
Jacob Osei Yeboah (Independent candidate) – 15,156 (0.14%)
Kwasi Addai (UFP) – 8,909 (0.08%)
2016 elections
John Mahama (NDC) – 4,577,395 (44.35%)
Akufo-Addo (NPP) – 5,551,028 (53.79%)
Paa Kwesi Nduom (PPP) – 12,411 (1.09%)
Ivor Greenstreet (CPP) – 25,502 (0.25%)
Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings (NDP) – 16,837 (0.16%)
Edward Mahama (PNC) – 22,115 (0.21%)
Jacob Osei Yeboah (Independent candidate) – 14,998 (0.15%)
2020 elections
Akufo-Addo (NPP) – 6,730,587 (51.302%)
John Mahama (NDC) – 6,213,182 (47.359%)
Christian Kwabena Andrews (GUM) – 105,548 (0.805%)
Ivor Kobina Greenstreet (CPP) – 12,200 (0.093%)
Akua Donkor (GFP) – 5,574 (0.024%)
Henry Herbert Lartey (GCPP) – 3,564 (0.027%)
Hassan Ayariga (APC) – 7,138 (0.054%)
Percival Kofi Akpaloo (LPG) – 7,683 (0.059%)
David Asibi Ayindenaba Apasera (PNC) – 10,882 (0.083%)
Brigitte Akosua Dzogbenuku (PPP) – 6,849 (0.052%)
Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings (NDP) – 6,549 (0.050%)
Alfred Kwame Asiedu Walker (Independent candidate) – 9,704 (0.074%)
Analysing four successive electoral cycles in Ghana paints a grim picture for the smaller parties. In the 2008 elections, various smaller parties, including the Progressive People’s Party (PPP) and the Convention People’s Party (CPP), collectively garnered less than 3% of the total votes. Despite their efforts, they failed to pose any serious challenge to the NPP or NDC.
This trend continued through the 2012, 2016, and 2020 elections, where the smaller parties’ vote shares consistently fell below 2%. Even in the 2020 elections, where dissatisfaction with the major parties was high due to economic challenges, the combined votes of smaller parties and independent candidates totalled less than 5%.
What Hinders the Rise of a Third Force?
Several challenges have prevented smaller parties from breaking through. Top among them is disunity. The inability of these parties to rally behind a single candidate or common vision has significantly weakened their impact. Each party has distinct goals and aspirations, often grounded in different ideological or personal motivations, making collaboration difficult.
Additionally, competition from the larger, well-established NPP and NDC is a major impediment. The extensive financial and logistical resources at the disposal of the two major parties make it difficult for smaller parties to compete on equal footing.
Voter loyalty is another critical factor. Many Ghanaians have deeply entrenched loyalties to either the NPP or NDC, making it difficult for smaller parties to sway the electorate..
The Lessons from Nigeria’s 2023 Elections
Ghanaians advocating for a third force often draw parallels with Nigeria’s 2023 elections, where third-force candidates performed remarkably well. In a historic outcome, Nigeria’s ruling party candidate, Bola Tinubu, won the presidency with just 36.6% of the vote, the lowest winning margin in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic.
The strength of the third-force candidates was particularly evident in states like Kano and Lagos, where they disrupted traditional voting patterns and prevented any candidate from winning a clear majority. This relative success, despite a lack of established political structures, has inspired hope that a similar political transformation could occur in Ghana.
2024: A Year of Possibilities?
In less than four months, Ghana will head to the polls, and the focus is intensifying on the nation’s next presidential election. So far, only the NDC and NPP have successfully chosen their presidential candidates.
However, individuals like former Trade Minister and leader of the Movement for Change, John Alan Kyerematen, and Nana Kwame Bediako, also known as Cheddar, leader of The New Force, have also declared their intentions to run as independent candidates.
Many Ghanaians believe that these figures could represent the third force that the country has been searching for. Meanwhile, the People’s National Convention (PNC) has scheduled its elections for flagbearers and party executives on Saturday, August 31, 2024.
The Convention People’s Party (CPP) was supposed to hold its presidential primary on August 24, 2024.
As Ghana grapples with challenges like rising inflation, fuel and transport cost hikes, and increasing utility bills, many wonder if these issues will push voters towards a third force.
At present, both Mr Kyerematen and Nana Bediako have garnered a noticeable following, and there is speculation that they could pose a serious challenge to the two dominant parties, potentially leading to a runoff in the 2024 elections.
The Imminence of a Third Force
A third force is not a matter of if but when. The emergence of a strong third force could break the cycle of duopoly and provide a fresh direction for the country. However, achieving this goal will require unity among smaller parties, the establishment of robust organizational structures, and a shift in voter perceptions.
As Ghana approaches the 2024 elections, the question remains: Will a third force finally emerge, or will the NPP-NDC duopoly continue to dominate the political scene? The answer lies in the hands of the electorate and the ability of smaller parties to rise to the occasion.
Abbreviations
DPP – Democratic Peoples Party
CPP – Convention People’s Party
PNC – People’s National Convention
DFP – Democratic Freedom Party
RPD – Reformed Patriotic Democrats
GCPP – Great Consolidated Popular Party
UFP – United Front Party
NDP – National Democratic Party
GUM – Ghana Union Movement
GFP – Ghana Freedom Party
GCPP – Great Consolidated Popular Party
APC – All People’s Congress
LPG – Liberal Party of Ghana
PPP – Progressive People’s Party
About the author; Andy Ogbarmey-Tettey is a multimedia journalist who has worked with some of Ghana’s reputable media houses such as Multimedia Group Limited and The Independent Newspaper (TIGPost).
