Centre for Democratic Development Ghana(CDD-Ghana) latest findings has shown that chiefly endorsement of flagbearer affects individual voting behaviour.
Leading the researchers to present their findings, D&D Fellow, CDD-Ghana also Assistant Professor, Department of Government, London School of Economics, Dr George Ofosu said endorsements can give undue advantage to political candidates who are able to solicit public support from chiefs.
Per the findings incumbent candidates are often better positioned than opposition candidates to induce chiefs to support them publicly.
This according to Dr George Ofosu people who align themselves with the endorsement believe in that chief that he can able to bring development to the community if the endorsed candidate wins the election.
He called on public institutions such as the National Commission for Civic Education(NCCE),and Civil Society groups to reiterate both to politicians and campaign team members, as well as to chiefs, that endorsements violate the spirit of the constitution which bars chiefs from active partisan politics.
Chief Director at the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs,Dr Evans Aggrey Darko said for Ghana as a country to be able to stop chiefly endorsement there is the empower the local and District Assemblies for to send developmental projects to various District.
He is of the the view that since politics is a numbers game politicians will always find a way to lued chiefs to endorse their candidature to get the 50+1% which can win them an election.Evan Aggrey Darko