‘NDC using money to influence votes’

An aspiring candidate for the national chairmanship position of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Dan Abodakpi, has said using money to influence the electorates is gradually showing its head in the NDC, a situation he describes as ‘worrying’ and needs the collective efforts of all party members to curb.

He has, therefore, warned against the use of money to influence the electorates in electing the party’s leaders.

He said when the electorates are induced to vote, it would affect the outcome of the national elections since the qualified candidates might not be chosen to prosecute the party’s policies.

Mr Abodakpi said this when he interacted with a cross-section of the Central Regional Press Corps after his three-day tour of the region to familiarise himself with the electorates.

According to the former Minister of Trade and Industries and Ambassador to Malaysia, “We should not monetise the elections because NDC was not founded on that; we should not induce our electorates to make choices that will be inimical to the party.”

Touching on his chairmanship vision, Mr Abodakpi noted that when he is elected into office, he would create a “political ecosystem” where all the structures of the party would be used effectively.

According to him, the strength of the party resides in the branch and constituency levels and that when such integral parts of the party are not well looked at, it would create problems for the party.

He said he would ensure that all party members are registered so that the party would have a data of its membership.

Mr Abodakpi was of the view that when the party members are registered, it would bring under control situations where some individuals forge the signature of the party’s national secretary on party cards to obtain favours within the party.

He said under his chairmanship, only true party members would be rewarded and appreciated, adding that it was about time the party honoured its loyal members.

According to him, when the true party members are rewarded, it would rekindle party activism that was once vibrant in the party.

Mr Abodakpi indicated that when elected into office, he would not accept to be a board member of any state institution.