Pollster Ben Ephson says the smaller parties must garner five percent of total votes cast in 2012 to force a runoff in the December polls. He was commenting on the Progressive People's Party’s (PPP) claim that they will be the third political force which to ensure that the 2012 goes into a run-off. Ben Ephson said given the political terrain, it will take about three smaller parties to cause that runoff. Speaking on Election Headquarters on Joy FM Thursday, he said either the PPP is hoping to get five percent and force the election into a runoff or it will be “a part of two or three other parties who will get a total of five percent and push it into a runoff.” The Pollster however noted that, it will be difficult for a smaller party to say they could get the needed number of votes to push the elections into a runoff. He was of the view that “if the PPP, People National Congress (PNC) and the Convention People’s Party (CPP) could get 1.5 percent each, we could head for a runoff,” that is “If the three parties work very well.” Ben Epshon also predicted that “post 2012 towards 2016, we could have a very strong third party,” because between the NDC and the NPP, the party which loses the 2012 elections is “likely to implode,” into two or three factions, one of which will be the nucleus of the third party. Nii Armah Akomfrah, Communications Director of the CPP speaking on the matter said unlike the PPP, the CPP is entering the elections not to be a third force but rather they “are in this race to win the election.” According to him, the CPP has a credible flagbearer, Dr Abu Sakara, who will win the elections hands down.