Money has always been an essential electoral resource, but the growing trend of politics of ‘moneycracy’ is becoming a huge burden to persons seeking political office.
For most delegates, one has no business contesting for a political office if he or she has no money to share.
As the day to elect parliamentary candidates for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) inches closer, harvest time for delegates also beckons. Saturday January 27 is the D-day.
Abdul Baki Imam Hussein is one of the 1,195 NPP delegates in the Oforikrom constituency of the Ashanti Region.
He is excited that five persons are contesting for the parliamentary candidate slot for the party on Saturday.
This has raised his hope of cashing out as a delegate.
“During the festive period, each of the five aspirants gave us a special package. We are expecting more before we even go to the polls, because this is our (delegates) time to also get some cash”.
For the delegates, their market booms when the contestants are in multiple numbers.
Though a staunch supporter of Dr Stephen Amoah, the incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) for Nhyiaeso, Kwabena Owusu said his prayer for a contest has been answered as a former MP for the area, Kennedy Kankam stages a comeback.
“Election period is our cocoa season, and our time is now. Reason I don’t support the idea of allowing someone to go unopposed”, he indicated.
But in constituencies where there is no-contest, the delegates appear unhappy for missing the opportunity to cash in.
In the Ashanti Region, five constituencies including, Ejisu, Bosomtwe, Effiduase, Offinso South and Akrofuom are not having a contest.
Ibrahim Zakariah, a delegate in Ejisu argued that “‘no-contest’ deprives us of money. As delegates, we prefer a contest”.
The incumbent Member of Parliament for Ejisu, Dr John Kumah would only have to be acclaimed on Thursday, January 25 because he stood unopposed.
For the delegates, it is yet another cocoa season; a time to cash out from these parliamentary candidate aspirants.
It looks like declaring one contestant as unopposed often causes a great harm to delegates as they fail to get their share of the ‘booty’.
On the other hand, multiple aspirants bring relief to the delegates.