Former Odododiodio MP and ex-Minister for Youth and Sports, Nii Lantey Vanderpuye, has emerged as the frontrunner in the race for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) national chairmanship, according to a new delegates tracking poll by Global InfoAnalytics.
The survey places Mr. Vanderpuye in first position with 26.8 percent support among delegates, ahead of former National Chairman Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, who secured 19.3 percent.
NDC National Vice Chairman Awudu Sofo Azorka followed with 6.4 percent, narrowly ahead of Ghana’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Alhaji Said Sinare, who recorded 6.3 percent. Former Local Government Minister and current Board Chairman of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre, Akwasi Opong-Fosu, polled 1.7 percent, while other prospective candidates collectively attracted 4.1 percent. However, more than a third of delegates, representing 35.3 percent, remain undecided.
The poll indicates that Vanderpuye enjoys broad-based support across the country’s four major regional blocs. He led with 32 percent in the swing regions of Greater Accra, Central and Western, secured 24 percent in the Akan bloc, 25 percent in the Volta and Oti regions, and 26 percent across the northern regions.
Ofosu-Ampofo trailed in each of the blocs, recording 18 percent in the swing regions, 22 percent in the Akan bloc, 14 percent in the Volta and Oti bloc, and 18 percent in the northern regions.
Despite growing interest in potential challengers, the survey also suggests that a majority of delegates would still like incumbent National Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketia to remain in office. Sixty-one percent of respondents supported calls for him to continue, while 26 percent disagreed and 13 percent were undecided.
The poll also assessed the party’s potential presidential race ahead of the 2028 elections. Mr. Asiedu Nketia maintained the lead with 27 percent support, although his backing slipped slightly from 29 percent in the previous poll conducted in April.
Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson strengthened his position, rising from 19 percent to 22 percent, further narrowing the gap with the party chairman.
Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu experienced the sharpest decline, dropping from 11 percent to six percent. Vice President Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang also saw her support fall from eight percent to seven percent, while Chief of Staff Julius Debrah declined from eight percent to five percent.
Former University of Professional Studies Vice-Chancellor Professor Joshua Alabi and Minister for Food and Agriculture Eric Opoku each recorded one percent support.
The survey further found that a direct contest between Mr. Asiedu Nketia and Dr. Ato Forson would be too close to call. Asiedu Nketia polled 34 percent against Dr. Ato Forson’s 33 percent, with another 33 percent of delegates yet to make up their minds.
Global InfoAnalytics conducted the poll between July 8 and July 14, 2026, involving 5,637 NDC delegates across all 16 regions. The survey employed probability random sampling and computer-assisted telephone interviews and has a 99 percent confidence level with a margin of error of plus or minus 1.7 percent.
