Abass Nurudeen, Ashanti Regional director of communications for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has accused the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), of engaging in vote-buying and extravagant spending during the recent by-election in the Assin North constituency.
Speaking in an interview with Akoma FM on July 1, 2023, he expressed his surprie at the country's economic struggles and the NPP's lavish spending during the election.
He emphasized that while the nation sought assistance from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and implemented measures such as domestic debt restructuring which has affected pensioners' bonds, government found enough resources to distribute in Assin North.
"A country that we said we don't have money, so we are going to the IMF, so we are taking pensioners' bonds, they were sharing money in Assin North," Nurudeen exclaimed
According to him, the NPP employed various tactics to sway voters, including buying locally-made alcoholic drinks known as 'akpeteshie' to distribute among the electorate.
He stated that the party went as far as purchasing alcoholic beverages for drunkards to consume in exchange for votes.
“It wasn’t only two million alone, Aduana Ba, cutlasses, roofing sheets, cement bags, even ‘akpeteshie’ they were sharing for a vote, I swear to God I am a Muslim and I’m saying this, if what I am saying is a lie, God should ask me.
"When they enter a beer bar, then they will buy all the akpeteshie for the drunkards to drink, I have never seen such a thing in my life, I have videos, if they like they should deny and I will bring it out.”
He went on to highlight what he called NPP's attempt to replicate a strategy they used in the Kumawu by-election, where they allegedly succeeded in winning over the locals through similar means.
“They thought how they were able to buy the minds of Kumawu people, they were going to use the same strategy to buy the minds of Assin North constituents.
James Gyakye Quayson has been sworn in as Member of Parliament for the Assin North constituency after the Electoral Commission declared him a winner in the election held on June 27, 2023, following the conclusion of the by-election.
According to the Electoral Commission's announcement, James Gyakye Quayson garnered a total of 17,245 votes, representing 57.56% of the total votes cast.
His closest contender, Charles Opoku of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), received 12,630 votes, accounting for 42.15% of the votes. Bernice Enyonam Sefenu of the Liberal Party Ghana (LPG) secured 87 votes, which represented 0.29% of the overall tally.
The by-election in Assin North was held to fill the parliamentary seat left vacant following a legal battle that questioned Quayson's eligibility to hold office due to dual citizenship concerns.
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