The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has condemned alleged acts of vote buying that marred the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary primary in the Ayawaso East constituency, describing the incidents as a direct affront to Ghana’s democracy.
NPP Director of Communications, Richard Ahiagbah, made the remarks while speaking on Channel One Newsroom on Sunday, February 8, following the primary held on Saturday, February 7.
Delegates reportedly received inducements including 32-inch television sets and boiled eggs from the camp of Mohammed Baba Jamal Ahmed, who emerged victorious in the contest.
In response, the NDC has set up a three-member investigative committee chaired by former Minister of Information Kofi Totobi Quakyi to probe the allegations and recommend appropriate sanctions and reforms. President John Dramani Mahama has also recalled Baba Jamal from his position as Ghana’s High Commissioner to Nigeria.
The NDC Majority Caucus in Parliament has further demanded the immediate annulment of the primary results and disqualification of candidates found to have engaged in vote buying.
Ahiagbah described the events as “glaring and egregious,” stating that they were impossible to ignore and constituted a blatant violation of the law.
“What happened in Ayawaso East was glaring and egregious, right in our faces,” he said. “Beyond being unlawful, it distorts democracy and minimises the impact of citizen power in shaping the country’s development through elections.”
He emphasised that such practices undermine the fundamental principle of free choice, weakening voters’ ability to influence national progress through genuine representation.
While welcoming the Office of the Special Prosecutor’s involvement in investigating the matter, Ahiagbah expressed cautious optimism, pointing to past cases where similar probes had not produced decisive results.
“The key issue for me is the NDC’s call for a probe and, at the same time, the Majority’s demand for annulment,” he noted, adding that Ghanaians are far from amused by the developments.
Ahiagbah called on all stakeholders to take collective action to safeguard the integrity of Ghana’s electoral processes and protect democratic values from such distortions.