Historian and spokesperson for the Awoemefia, Agbotadua Togbi Kumassah, has shed light on why the Anlo community, traditionally associated with Ghana’s first president Dr. Kwame Nkrumah’s Convention People’s Party (CPP), now predominantly supports the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

In an interview on GhanaWeb’s People and Places show, Togbi Kumassah explained that while the Anlo region was once a stronghold of the CPP, the emergence of Jerry John Rawlings altered the political landscape. He noted that Anlos have historically preferred leaders who they perceive as genuinely representing their interests and shared cultural background.

“Anlos have always leaned towards leaders they feel connected to and trust,” Togbi Kumassah said. “Initially, we were aligned with the CPP, but when Rawlings came into the scene, the CPP was banned, and his ideas resonated more with us.”

He elaborated that while Anlo was predominantly CPP, regions like Anloga supported the United Party (UP) and later, the New Patriotic Party (NPP). However, Rawlings’s alignment with the CPP’s ideals made the NDC a more appealing option to the Anlos.

Despite the strong NDC presence, Togbi Kumassah acknowledged that the NPP also has significant support within Anlo. “We have influential figures from Anlo in the NPP, such as the Regional Chairman and the Okudzetos,” he added.

For more insights, watch the full episode below.