The National Democratic Congress (NDC), has said it is launching an immediate investigations into allegations of vote-buying in the just ended parliamentary primary in the Ayawaso East constituency of the party.
The election, held on Saturday, January 7, according to multiple media accounts was characterized by massive vote-buying by leading contenders namely Baba Jamal Muhammed Ahmed and Hajia Amina Adams.
While Bama Jamal was reported to have gifted Plasma TV, wife of the deceased MP, allegedly shared motorbikes.
As many condemned the act, Baba Jamal defended the gesture saying there is no cause for alarm because he is been gifting constituents occasionally.
At the end of voting and counting, Baba Jamal who is Ghana’s Ambassador to Nigeria, emerged winner with 433 while Hajia Adams placed second with 399 votes.
This is despite earlier polls called the election for the widow.
Videos of the gifts which many believed influenced delegates’ decision to some extent, have emerged on social media with many calling for annulment of the entire exercise and sanctions meted out to perpetuators.
A statement issued by General Secretary of the NDC, Fifi Kwetey on Saturday said the party has taken notice of the allegations of vote buying and inducement by some of the aspirants.
The party announced that it is initiating a full-scale investigations into the matter and will take a swift action against any candidate found culpable.
It went further to condemn the act “as they represent an affront to the value and principles of the party and the reset agenda the party is championing”.
According to the NDC, “the party also wishes to make it clear that in the future, more drastic sanctions would be taken including possibly canceling elections, when such incidents come to the attention of the party”.
By Gifty Boateng