Candidates buy votes because they lack understanding of voter psychology - Dr. Osei

The Chief Executive Officer of the Mental Health Authority, Dr. Akwasi Osei has blamed the incident of vote-buying in political primaries and elections to the lack of an understanding of the voter psychology of Ghanaian voters.

He explained voters are likely to vote for persons who share in their vision of what they should do and not the vote-buying politicians engage in.

He told Kwabena Agyapong on Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm that politicians who seek power have failed to allow voters to understand their policies and vote for them along that line and allowed money to influence the decision.

Political parties he said have also failed to appreciate the important role psychologists play in politics, adding political parties should invest in this area to help them deal with the shocks and surprises after their party elections.

Dr. Osei admonished politicians contesting elections to understand they can either win or lose hence the need for them to be guided in order not to suffer the shocks from the outcome of an election.

He said politicians must understand that one issue that voters cherish is the knowledge they have about parties and politicians and their vision since it will influence information acquisition and actual decision-making.