Parliamentary Aspirants Do Maths On How Much To Pay Delegates For Votes

Media practitioner Mr. Isaac Amoah has alleged that parliamentary aspirants meticulously plan vote-buying, calculating the amounts to pay in their quest for votes. According to him, some aspirants even provide additional payments on the election day to secure victory by any means necessary.

He claimed that certain delegates receive a losing bonus, taking money from an aspirant and ensuring the aspirant loses by not voting for them.

“Contestants do the math on how much to pay for votes, some top up on the day of elections to win, and that’s how some secure victories,” he asserted during a panel discussion on Opemsuo Radio’s Nkwantannanso with Kofi Boakye on January 31.

Mr. Amoah emphasized that parliamentary aspirants from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) offer larger sums of money to delegates compared to those from the National Democratic Congress (NDC). Based on his interactions with delegates over the years, he believes the NPP consistently pays more, regardless of being in power.

He criticized the NDC and NPP for allowing the practice of vote buying to persist, pointing out the absence of systems to curb this behavior.

Recent reports during the NPP parliamentary primary indicated instances of vote buying, including a video showing 32-inch smart television sets branded with the image of the current Member of Parliament for Yendi, Farouk Aliu Mahama.

Also, despite claims by the Tema West Chairman of the NPP, Mr. Kwaku Poku Bosompem, that money distributed at the polling station was intended for transportation and not to influence delegates, concerns over vote-buying and increased monetization of ballots have resurfaced.

The parliamentary primary took place in 105 constituencies across the country, resulting in the defeat of several incumbent Members of Parliament seeking re-election.

Story by Adwoa S. Danso