Finance Minister Dr Ato Forson has strengthened his position as the leading contender in the race to become the National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer for the 2028 general election, according to a new nationwide poll by Global Info Analytics.The survey, conducted between May 30 and June 12, 2026, found Dr Forson leading the field with 32.5% support among voters surveyed, maintaining a significant advantage over his closest rivals.According to the poll, NDC General Secretary Johnson Asiedu Nketia placed second with 21.2%, narrowly ahead of Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu, who secured 21.1%.The findings, based on responses from 8,784 voters across all 16 regions, suggest the race remains competitive but currently favours Dr Forson as the party looks ahead to selecting a successor to President John Dramani Mahama.Global Info Analytics noted that some candidates have lost ground since its March 2026 survey.Former Education Minister Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang recorded the sharpest decline, dropping 5.5 percentage points to 8.5%. Mr Asiedu Nketia’s support fell by 3.9 percentage points, while Mr Iddrisu’s support declined by 1.9 percentage points.Regional strengthsThe poll highlights significant regional voting patterns among the contenders.Dr Forson enjoys strong support in the Akan and swing-voter regions, while Mr Asiedu Nketia remains the preferred choice in the Volta and Oti regions.Mr Iddrisu continues to dominate the northern bloc, where he commands about 60% support among respondents.Head-to-head contestsThe survey also tested hypothetical one-on-one contests among the leading contenders.In those matchups, Dr Forson defeated both Mr Asiedu Nketia and Mr Iddrisu by identical margins of 62% to 38%.However, a direct contest between Mr Asiedu Nketia and Mr Iddrisu produced a much closer outcome, with the Education Minister edging ahead with 51% support.Bawumia matchupsThe poll further examined how potential NDC candidates might perform against Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia in the 2028 presidential election.According to the findings, Dr Forson would lead Dr Bawumia by 54% to 34% among all voters surveyed and by 53% to 29% among first-time voters.Mr Asiedu Nketia was projected to defeat Dr Bawumia by 49% to 38%, while Mr Iddrisu led the Vice President by 51% to 36%.Professor Opoku-Agyemang’s matchup was considerably tighter, with the poll placing her ahead by 44% to 40%, a margin close to the survey’s stated error range.Global Info Analytics said the poll combined 7,484 face-to-face interviews and 1,302 online responses. The research firm reported a confidence level of 99% and a margin of error of plus or minus 1.5%.The findings provide an early snapshot of internal NDC dynamics as discussions about the party’s post-Mahama future continue to gather momentum ahead of the next presidential election cycle.