Election 2024: Smaller parties, others asked to form third force

The Roundtable Dialogue (RTD), a social purpose think-tank, has asked smaller parties and independent aspirants to come together as a third force in the December General Election.The RTD said that was the only way they could present voters with alternative to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC).Dr Ofosu Baako, Secretary, RTD, made the call at a press briefing in Accra on Wednesday, July 17.Dr Baako said the emergence of many political organisations and independent aspirants indicated that many were disgusted about how the country had been ruled over the past 32 years.'To resist and overcome oppressors' rule, we desire one consensus presidential candidate who will contest the 7th December 2024 elections against the NPP/NDC candidates. Similarly, there should be one consensus parliamentary candidate in all the constituencies to contest against the NDC and NPP candidates,' he said.He noted that currently, 14 groups had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the R TD to help provide an alternative for Ghanaians in the upcoming elections.He encouraged all like-minded people to collaborate with the RTD and share their thoughts, resources, skills, and strengths to win the parliamentary and presidential seats for the country.'If you genuinely believe there must be an alternative to the NPP and NDC, sit with us at the Roundtable and Dialogue,' he said.Mr Explo Nani-Kofi, Chairman, RTD, said the strategy was not new and that it had been tested.He said in the 2020 parliamentary elections, the strategy was implemented in two successive elections in South Dayi, and it worked.He said it was that success at the local level that had boosted the RTD's morale to test the strategy at the national level.The Roundtable Dialogue facilitates the formation of Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) to tackle specific issues on leadership, governance, decolonisation and development in the collective interest.Their aim is to offer the voter only three candidates on each ballot sheet a t the time of voting - the NPP and the NDC presidential candidates and the alternative presidential candidate.