Just 72 hours before the parliamentary primaries for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), a viral video has emerged showing many branded smart 32-inch television sets ready for distribution to delegates.
In the viral video, the television sets have been branded with an image appearing to be that of Yendi MP, Farouk Mahama who is contesting for the second time in the party’s primaries.
Although 3news cannot independently verify if indeed the Yendi MP is behind the act, the branded image on the television is that of the MP Farouk Mahama.
Delegates cocoa season, look at how a candidate gearing up for the 27th Npp parliamentary primaries on Saturday.
32 inch flat screen TVs#NppGoToPolls pic.twitter.com/V18rLcstnI
— RED HUNTER ? ? (@imredhunter_) January 25, 2024
Over the years, concerns have been raised about issues of vote buying during elections and party primaries. Many have described this as an act breaching the laws of the country.
Meanwhile, Deputy General Secretary of the party, Haruna Mohammed has urged party delegates and the general public to report any instances of vote-buying in the upcoming polls.
He said the party does not endorse individuals becoming candidates based on the amount they can offer delegates.
“The NPP is very open to every reportage. Anybody who sees any evidence of somebody buying votes that we can rely on to be able to prosecute the agenda of making sure we cleanse out the system of vote-buying can come forward and the NPP will look at it and refer it to the appropriate quarters for redress,” he said on Joy FM.
Former Chair of the Electoral Commission, Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan condemned the act describing it as a “shameful spectacle”.
Delivering the Constitution Day public lecture on the theme “Reflections on our democracy: The Constitution, Elections and the Judiciary”, Dr. Afari-Gyan said “vote-buying undermines the idea that we choose our leaders out of our free will and vote-selling undermines the idea that we always hold our elected leaders accountable through elections.”
“I believe that our democracy is stifled when election results seize to be a true representation of our verdict on the performance of our leaders, we cannot therefore hold them accountable through elections. That is precisely what the election open market portends.”