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06.07.2006 NPP

NPP, NDC Are The Two Defacto Parties - Kwesi Jonah

06.07.2006 LISTEN
By CITY NEWS

A governance expert, Mr Kwesi Jonah says the emergence of various splinter political groups in the country will not disrupt the current duopoly enjoyed by the ruling National Patriotic Party (NPP) and National Democratic Congress (NDC).

The political landscape has become awash with manifold political entities most of which have broken off from the more established parties.

Political analysts are already hailing the appearance of a much-anticipated third force in Ghanaian politics to Challenge the dominance of the NDC and NPP, and the formation of Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) and the continuous defection of key political figures seem to lend credence to this.

However, in an interview with CITI NEWS, Mr Kwesi Jonah said Ghana's status as a two party state is established and it will be most difficult for any emerging political party to alter this status.

Dr Jonah is of the opinion that the latter day parties do not have enough influence to displace the big two.

"In future elections, if neither the NDC nor the NPP is not able to win through a fifty plus one percentage in the presidential election, they may align themselves to one side to change the outcome of the election", he said.

According to him, the most realistic scenario would be for the party that emerges strongest among the small ones to play a bulwark role to balance the swing of power between the two main parties, especially during the 2008 elections.

"But at the moment, only the NPP and NDC can form a government. The small parties cannot grow strong enough to form a government and as far as I am concerned, all of them these parties are just joking", Dr Jonah said.

Dr Kwesi Jonah is a research fellow with the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA).

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