Election 2020: Adongo fumes at NPP’s financier 'caught' sharing money for votes

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Bolgatanga Central, Isaac Adongo, has expressed fury at a man said to be a financier of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) for reportedly doling out cash to voters in a queue on Election Day in the Bolgatanga Central Constituency apparently to influence them in the NPP’s interest.

The MP, who is seeking reelection at the ongoing 2020 general elections, told newsmen at the Rashadiya Primary School Polling Station, where the alleged vote-buying took place, nobody should hold the NDC responsible if the said well-known financier was caught in the same act again. Eyewitnesses say the alleged bankroller works at the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).

“I just got here and picked up information that a known NPP financier was here sharing monies and you heard me telling them they should have arrested him. We want to warn anybody who would want to go on election malpractices that we will not spare them next time and nobody should hold us responsible for people who feel that they can buy votes at the polling centres from now onwards.

“And we are going to put our eye on him. And if we find him anywhere engaging in that, nobody should blame us. We believe in the security system that has been put in place but nevertheless, we have an alternative arrangement. And we are just praying that we would not have the need to activate our own security in order to protect the ballot. I have sent word around that if they find him doing any such thing, they should film him and arrest him and give him up to the police,” said the MP.

Isaac Adongo, a prominent member of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), is in the race for the Bolgatanga Central seat against a familiar archrival from the NPP, Rex Asanga. There are two other contenders involved in the 2020 parliamentary polls in the constituency— Latifa Abdul-Rahman from the Convention People’s Party (CPP) and Francis Ayadago from the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG).

Adongo obtained 25,042 votes (51.41%) whilst Asanga polled 15,610 votes representing 32.04% at the 2016 polls. Responding to questions about his chances at the ongoing elections, the MP told newsmen he would secure a “landslide victory” despite the technical hitches with biometric verification devices (BVDs) at some polling stations in the constituency.

“I call it a landslide victory and that would define itself by evening. I’m not a soothsayer. But I’m saying it would be a landslide victory. When it gets there, you would know what that landslide means. The challenges (with the BVDs) can only reduce our turnout. But even if ten people vote, Adongo will win and John Mahama will win,” he affirmed.