Dr Owusu Akoto Afriyie, the former Minister of Food and Agriculture, could benefit from what is normally referred to as ‘sympathy vote’ as one of the delegates in the 2023 New Patriotic Party presidential race has decided to vote for him.
According to the delegate who gave her name as Charlotte, she feels compelled to vote for Dr. Akoto Afriyie as she does not want him to earn zero votes in her constituency.
In an interview with GHOne TV, the delegate disclosed that she initially planned on voting for Kennedy Agyapong but altered her stance after learning of Dr Akoto Afriyie’s situation.
“I’m now going to vote but I will go with Dr Afriyie Akoto. If I don’t vote for him, no one else will. Everyone is voting for Bawumia or Showdown (Kennedy Agyapong) so I want to vote for him. I had wanted to vote for Showdown (Kennedy Agyapong.,” he said.
She also confirmed hearing rumors of the sharing of money and believes that once she sees her constituency coordinator, she will get her share.
“I have heard that they are sharing envelopes, but I’m yet to receive mine. Once I see my coordinator, I will get mine,” she said.
The NPP primaries ongoing in over 277 constituencies have Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and Assin Central MP, Kennedy Agyapong as the leading candidates.
While the exercise has been relatively peaceful, it has been fraught with vote-buying allegations, with delegates openly confirming receiving cash from the camps of Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and Kennedy Agyapong.
In the La Dade Kotokopon constituency, TV3 reports that some delegates are claiming to have received GHC450 from the camp of the vice president.
In another video that has gone viral on social media, a candidate by the name Sir Collins explained that he chose to vote for Kennedy Agyapong because he appreciated the money he offered him more than that of the vice president.
In an interview with GHOne TV, Collins expressed his strong dissatisfaction, describing it as an insult, that Dr. Bawumia, who aspires to be the party's flagbearer, offered delegates a meager GH¢400 each.
Collins pointed out the disparity in resources and support, questioning why another contender, Kennedy Agyapong, who reportedly has less support from government appointees and the party's rank and file, offered GH¢300.
“I voted for Ken,” he said in the Twi language as he proceeded to give his reason.
“Bawumia has the support of ministers, MCEs and government officials yet they gave us GH¢400 while Ken gave us GH¢300. That’s an insult. How can you have the support of everyone and give us GH¢400 when an individual Ken is giving us GH¢300?”
Still on GTV another delegate named Samed Nuhu who confirmed being a polling station executive urged the delegates in the Krowor constituency not to allow the monies they’ve received from the candidates to influence their decisions.
He confirmed receiving monies from both the camp of Bawumia and Kennedy Agyapong but promised to vote for the person he believes will keep the party in power.
He confessed to voting for Bawumia and also disclosed that he received an envelope but lamented that the amount wasn’t too much.
I have realised no one is going to vote for Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto so I am voting for him - delegate#ElectionHub #NPPDecides pic.twitter.com/wmLz7XagCz
“I have finished voting and gone for my envelope but the money isn’t much. The process has been cool and without hitches. The people are also conducting themselves well so its going on smoothly. I also took an envelope from Ken. I didn’t fight for it but they give it to me. I have not opened the envelopes yet”, he said.
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