OPPOSITION NDC RETAINS SEAT IN PARLIAMENTARY

UNCLAS ACCRA 001775

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV GH GOG
SUBJECT: OPPOSITION NDC RETAINS SEAT IN PARLIAMENTARY
BY-ELECTION



1. (U) In a hotly contested by-election in Accra on
August 30, the opposition National Democratic
Congress (NDC) party retained its seat in
Odododiodio constituency, beating the New Patriotic
Party (NPP) by a substantial margin. Turnout was
55%, typical for a by-election. Embassy observers
noted the heavy presence of police, party monitors,
and domestic observers in an election that was free
and fair. The atmosphere was somewhat tense, due to
some pre-election scuffles; however, despite some
minor disagreements over procedures, polling
proceeded smoothly.


2. (SBU) Comment: This by-election received
intense national media and political attention. Not
surprisingly, the opposition NDC has touted its
victory as an indication of the declining popularity
of the Kufuor administration and his NPP party. The
NPP invested a great deal of political capital into
the election and feels stung. However, the
Odododiodio result does not affect the party balance
in parliament and will have no major impact on
national politics. The election was largely about
the strength of the candidates: the NDC's
candidate was a school teacher, whereas the ruling
NPP had nominated an inarticulate, party-switching
chauffeur whose sole qualification was that he is
the son of the former (deceased) NDC
parliamentarian. Furthermore, the NDC seemed better
mobilized to turn out its base. The NPP also failed
to win votes through a last-minute spate of public
works projects (tarring roads and installing
electric lights). The seriousness the Electoral
Commission and the police demonstrated in preparing
for the election, and the free, fair, and generally
peaceful result demonstrate again Ghana's
determination to institutionalize and routinize its
democratic process.

LANIER