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The Deputy General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Haruna Mohammed says the party will probe vote-buying claims in the just-ended NPP presidential primaries.
His comment comes after delegates in the primaries of the NPP publicly admitted to receiving money from some of the contenders.
Some delegates during the November 4 election publicly admitted to receiving money ranging from GH₵400 and GH₵300 from some of the then contenders.
Also read: https://www.myjoyonline.com/some-npp-delegates-confirm-receiving-money-to-vote-for-candidates/
Speaking in an interview on Joy FM’s Top Story, Haruna Mohammed said the party is getting to know some of these claims of vote-buying due to media reports, adding that “The party will investigate the vote buying allegations at the appropriate time, and if sanctions are necessary, they will be implemented.”
“It [votebuying] would be brought to the attention of the party leadership and this would be weighed. We will weigh it to see the impact and also check against the guidelines that were issued by the presidential elections committee. If this was given to induce the people, then, this is a matter that the party would look at, but if this is given to support transport of this particular delegate, the party will also look at it,” he added.
Mr Mohammed said although he has heard about claims of vote-buying in the party’s just-ended presidential primary, he cannot attest to the fact that the said monies were allocated to delegates to buy their conscience.
“To say whether it is to buy their conscience or whatever, this has not been publicly stated by persons who are heard on tape that this monies were given to them because they were to buy their conscience but they clearly indicated how they were collecting. But why were they collecting? For what purpose that has not been stated,” he added.
In light of this, he backed calls for investigations into the matter to be conducted.
He also encouraged that the vote-buying claim be sent to court to establish the fact that the NPP is founded on the rule of law.
This comes against the backdrop of political scientist, Dr Amoako Baah threatening to sue the NPP for cajoling appointees and members of parliament to support the candidacy of Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and had induced party delegates with money.
This, he said, should not be countenanced if Ghana intends to keep its democratic credentials.
But Mr Mohammed indicated that the party was democratic and abides by the dictates of the constitution, therefore the party would be ready to go to court to contest the results of the elections if anyone believed that there were some manipulations.
