Vote buying: You can’t give a delegate living in the constituency GHc1000 and call it transportation – Kpemka

Former Deputy Attorney-General, Joseph Kpemka Dindiok, has condemned the act of vote buying that happened during the parliamentary primary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) on Saturday, December 2.

He says that the culprits should be punished to deter others from engaging in such practices.

Speaking on the KeyPoints on TV3 on Saturday, December 9, he stated that a candidate cannot give GHc1000 to each delegate living in a constituency and describe it as transportation.

“Any amount that is more than GHc100 given to delegates who reside in a constituency cannot be described as transportation,” he said.

The newly-elected parliamentary candidate for Tempane stated that, “What happened was only a confirmation of all that we know all this while. What is shocking is the level of impunity with which some of the things were carried out, sharing it publicly, cameras were all there.

“You can’t give a person within the constituency GHc1000 and call it transportation, that is not transportation,” he stressed.

“If care is not taken, criminals will take over our democracy…if care is not taken the good and competent people will not lead the country, because they do not have the fat envelopes to influence voting. This is across the political divide.”

During the orphan constituencies elections, Kpemka said he gave GHc100 to delegates to enable them to travel to cast their ballots.

“I gave each delegate GHc100, cedis to come and cast their votes, I did not give anything beyond that, that is a matter of public record,” the former MP said.

His comments come after the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) declared six persons wanted for vote buying. According to the OSP, these persons who are six males, were engaged in corrupt practices.

“The following persons are wanted by the OSP for corruption and corruption-related offences in respect of public elections – especially vote buying,” a post sighted on the OSP’s social media handles said.

However, the OSP did not provide their names.

The OSP also did not say whether the post is in reference to the parliamentary elections held by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in what they refer to as orphan constituencies on December 2, 2023.

However, some contestants in the just-ended elections said they paid Travel and Transport (T&T) allowance to the delegates to facilitate the process for them.

One of the failed aspirants in the Odododiodioo Constituency, Nii Lante Bannerman told TV3 reporter that “T&T to delegates has come to stay, it is the quantum of the money that we should be discussing.”

Another failed aspirant for the Okaikwe North Constituency, Alberta Afia Akoto, denied buying the votes of delegates.

She explained that she only assisted the delegates, “If I have the opportunity to serve my people I should be able to assist them. I went through the due process to show that I could be of help to them, I do not think it is wrong. It is giving people the help and assistance they deserve. If I did, it is an assistance I gave to them.”