NPP primaries was an ‘auction not election’ – Amoako Baah

Political scientist and former lecturer at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology Dr Amoako Baah has bemoaned the influence of money in the just ended parliamentary primaries of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).

According to him, majority of the outcome of the Saturday primaries was influenced by money and not competence or ability to impact good governance in the country.

It comes after allegations of vote-buying in the primaries. Some candidates were reported to have paid hefty amounts to delegates in order to secure their votes. Deputy Chief of Staff Francis Asenso-Boakye who contested the Bantama primaries was accused of buying votes. He denied the accusations.

Speaking to Francis Abban on the Morning Starr Monday, Dr. Amoako Baah said money has compromised the value of elections in the country.

“What happened was an auction, not an election, as I have been saying, whoever pays the highest money wins. But in some cases if the people are really angry with you it does not matter how much money you pay, they will still vote against you,” he said.

The National Organiser of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Sammi Awuku however dismissed reports of vote-buying in the Bantama primaries of the party.

The incumbent Member of Parliament for Bantama in the Ashanti region Daniel Okyem Aboagye has accused his competitor Deputy Chief of Staff Francis Asenso-Boakye of using money to induce delegates. Mr. Asenso-Boakye has denied the accusation in a statement issued Thursday.

Speaking to Starr News on the development, Mr Awuku said the party has not been given any credible evidence of vote-buying.

“There is no evidence of vote-buying. Nobody has brought anything of evidential value to us. People just make claims and such things can’t be proven,” he told Naa Borle Bortey on the campaign trail.