Professor Joshua Alabi, Campaign Manager for John Mahama's 2024 campaign team, has credited the NDC for its strategic efforts in reducing voter turnout in the Ashanti Region during the recent elections.

The NDC’s tactical approach, he believes, played a significant role in the outcome of the elections in the region, where both the NPP and NDC were highly competitive.

Before the 2024 elections, the NPP had set a target of securing 85% of the votes in the Ashanti Region, while the NDC aimed for 35%.

Both parties were also focused on increasing their parliamentary representation in the region, which consists of 47 constituencies.

Prior to the elections, the NDC held four parliamentary seats - Asawase, Ejura-Sekyedumase, New Edubiase, and Sekyere Afram Plains—while the NPP controlled 42. The remaining seat was held by an independent MP from the Fomena Constituency.

The election results saw the NPP lose four constituencies - Adansi Asokwa, Adansi Akrofuom, Ahafo Ano South East, and Obuasi East - to the NDC.

As a result, the NDC increased its parliamentary representation in the Ashanti Region from four to eight seats, a significant gain for the party in a historically NPP stronghold.

In an interview with Channel One TV on Monday, 16th December, Professor Alabi attributed the NDC’s success in the region to the party’s focused efforts and careful campaigning.

He suggested that the NDC’s strategic actions had directly contributed to the reduced voter turnout in the region, which in turn had an impact on the NPP’s losses.

He also claimed that the NDC had successfully thwarted any attempts by the NPP to manipulate the ballot boxes in the Ashanti Region, a factor he believed was instrumental in securing the party’s gains.

"I must say that yes, to some extent there was some degree of low voter turnout. But I must say that the low turnout in the Ashanti Region was also a result of the work we did.

Across the country, there must have been low turnout, but in the Ashanti Region, the percentage we have seen is also due to the work we did," he added.