Manasseh Awuni challenges NDC to tackle vote-buying allegations

Investigative journalist, Manasseh Azure Awuni, has reacted to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Majority Caucus’s decision to annul the Ayawaso East parliamentary primaries, describing it as a step in the right direction.

In a post shared on his Facebook page on Monday, February 9, 2026, he said that the move must be followed by concrete actions to restore integrity to the party’s internal elections.

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“The annulment is welcome, but it must not end there. Whoever is found to have paid induced voters should be barred from contesting in the rerun. The NDC must begin from Ayawaso East and set a standard for ethical internal elections across the party,” he wrote.

He stated that while vote-buying has long been a problem in Ghanaian politics, the party deserves encouragement if it is serious about tackling financial inducements.

“Some critics have labelled the party and the MPs calling for disciplinary action as hypocrites. The reason is that no one is righteous as far as vote-buying is concerned. This may be true, but the NDC needs encouragement and commendation if the party is serious about the probe and disciplinary actions,” Awuni noted.

Touching on interviews with MPs for his book, The President Ghana Never Got, Awuni warned that Parliament often fails to represent the people, with many MPs primarily focused on making money.

“When people pay money to get into Parliament, they will find ways, fair or foul, to recoup that money. To contest again, they will need money to pay delegates and run their campaign. And no single MP will fund all this through their private investments,” he said.

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In response to the vote-buying allegations, the NDC’s Majority Caucus in Parliament has called for the immediate annulment of the primaries and sanctions against any aspirant found culpable.

In a statement signed by Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga on February 8, 2026, the Caucus condemned the alleged misconduct, describing it as contrary to the party’s commitment to political reform.

After extensive deliberations, the Caucus formally communicated its position to the NDC Functional Executive Committee, demanding that guilty candidates be barred from future contests. “The NDC Majority Caucus remains committed to restoring integrity to our politics,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, the NDC has established a three-member committee to investigate the allegations, giving it a deadline of Tuesday, February 10, 2026, to submit its findings.

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