The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has strongly condemned alleged inducement and vote-buying during its parliamentary primary in the Ayawaso East Constituency, announcing an immediate full-scale investigation and warning of severe sanctions, including the possible annulment of future elections, for any repeat offences.
This comes on the back of reports that delegates received 32-inch television sets from the campaign team of aspirant Mohammed Baba Jamal Ahmed, Ghana’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, who emerged victorious in the primary. His team was also said to have distributed free boiled eggs, resulting in some jostling among participants.
In an interview with journalists following the allegations, Baba Jamal defended the distribution of the items, describing them as mere gestures of goodwill and appreciation to the delegates, insisting they were not intended to influence voting decisions or outcomes.
The NDC’s response came in an official statement issued on Saturday, February 7, 2026, and signed by General Secretary Fifi Fiavi Kwetey.
The party stated that its national executives had been alerted to widespread reports of inducement and vote-buying allegedly carried out by some aspirants during the exercise.
“The attention of the national executives of the NDC has been drawn to the widespread incidents of inducement and vote buying allegedly perpetrated by senior aspirants at the primaries in the Ayawaso East constituency today,” the statement read.
The NDC described such conduct as a “direct violation” of the party’s core values and principles, as well as its ongoing reset agenda aimed at promoting integrity and transparency.
“The party vehemently condemns these actions in no uncertain terms as they represent an affront to the values and principles of the party and the reset agenda the party is championing,” it added.
To address the matter, the NDC has launched a comprehensive investigation into the allegations and committed to taking swift disciplinary action against any candidate found culpable.
The party further cautioned that any future violations of this nature could attract harsher penalties, including the cancellation or annulment of internal elections to preserve the integrity of its processes.
The Ayawaso East parliamentary primary was held to select the NDC’s candidate for an impending by-election in the constituency, triggered by the vacancy following the death of the sitting MP.
Five aspirants, having passed the party’s vetting, contested the seat: Mohammed Ramne (NDC Constituency Chairman), Hajia Amina Adam (widow of the late MP), Baba Jamal Mohammed Ahmed, Yakubu Azindow, and Najib Mohammed.
Baba Jamal’s win has since been overshadowed by the inducement claims, which have drawn attention from both the party and higher levels of government, including President John Dramani Mahama’s earlier directive to recall him from his diplomatic post.
The NDC reiterated its dedication to fair, transparent, and corruption-free internal elections, pledging that the outcome of the probe will reinforce accountability within the party. Further updates are anticipated as investigations progress.
Meanwhile, President John Dramani Mahama has directed the immediate recall of Baba Jamal as Ghana’s High Commissioner to Nigeria with immediate effect.
According to a statement by the Presidency, while allegations of vote-buying were leveled against several contestants in the primaries, the Presidency highlighted that Mr. Baba Jamal was the only serving public officer among the candidates, distinguishing his case and necessitating decisive action.