Ayawaso East NDC primary vote-buying: Apply sanctions to any candidate found culpable — GenCED

The Gender Centre for Empowering Development (GenCED) has called on the leadership of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) to ensure a swift, transparent, and credible conclusion of the investigation into the vote-buying allegations during the party’s Ayawaso East Constituency parliamentary primary last Saturday.

It also called on the party to apply appropriate sanctions to any candidates or actors found culpable, in line with party rules and national law.

In a statement signed and issued by the Executive Director, GenCED, Esther Tawiah condemned the reported acts of vote-buying during the Ayawaso East Constituency parliamentary primary, including the alleged distribution of items such as 32-inch television sets and other material inducements to influence voters.

It said such practices undermine internal party democracy and weaken public confidence in the country’s electoral system.

GeNCED further urged all political parties to act decisively to dismantle vote-buying networks within their structures; enforce internal regulations consistently and without favouritism; and commit to reforms that promote clean, inclusive, and gender-responsive political competition.

“Ghana’s democracy cannot thrive where leadership is bought rather than earned. Internal party elections must reflect the free will of delegates and create fair pathways for women and marginalised groups to participate meaningfully in political life,” it concluded.