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Former Central Regional Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has downplayed the effect of the sudden death of former President Jerry John Rawlings on the party’s chances in the December polls.

Bernard Allotey Jacobs explained that the Ghanaian voter will not vote based on sympathy but policies and what the leader is seeking to offer. Some political pundits have argued that due to the painful exit of Mr Rawlings, who is also founder of the NDC, the party might get sympathy votes.

With just few weeks to the general election, many believe the death of Mr Rawlings will win more votes for the NDC and its presidential candidate, John Mahama. But Mr Jacobs said the NDC faces a herculean task given the social interventions rolled out by President Nana Akufo-Addo.

In his view, about 95 percent of Ghanaians are beneficiaries of the policies such as free Senior High School introduced by President Nana Akufo-Addo. “You have a conservative who is more of a social democrat than most of us who call ourselves social democrats,” he added.

The former NDC Chairman said the policies of President Akufo-Addo poses a great challenge to the NDC which is seeking to win the December elections. “To win the elections, we will have to convince Ghanaians that truly we are social democrats otherwise we are in trouble,” he stressed.