By Francis Kobena Tandoh
The ruling National Democratic Congress is set to expand the Totobi Quakyi-led committee to a seven-member committee to work towards averting voter inducement, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey said on Tuesday.
Addressing the media at the party headquarters in the Ghanaian capital after the Totobi Quakyi-led three-member committee submitted its report, Mr. Kwetery admitted there were some anomalies with the parliamentary primaries held by the NDC at the Ayawaso East Constituency last Saturday.
To avert such occurrences, the General Secretary announced that the seven-member committee will be tasked to make appropriate recommendations that will guide the party in its future internal elections.
He condemned the practice, saying the phenomenon cast a slur on the country’s fledgling democracy.
The NDC held a parliamentary primary to elect a candidate to replace the former Member of Parliament for the Ayawaso East Constituency, who died on Jan. 4 this year.
At the end of the election, former Ghana’s High Commissioner to the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Mohammed Baba Jamal Ahmed, was declared the winner by the Electoral Commission (EC).
He polled 431 of the total valid votes while his closest contender, Hajia Amina Adam, wife of the former MP, polled 399 of the total valid votes.
However, the election was characterised by allegations of voter inducement as various candidates were said to present gifts of varying degrees, including flat-screen television sets, bags of rice, cooking oil, clothes, as well as cash.
The practice received widespread condemnation in various quarters, including the National Democratic Congress, the Majority Caucus in Parliament who called for the annulment of the primaries.
The president, John Dramani Mahama, recalled Mohammed Baba Jama Ahmed from his position as the country’s High Commissioner to Nigeria. Enditem
Source: Ghana Eye Report
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