Hon. Akwasi Opong-Fosu, Board Chair of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) and former Minister of Local Government, has called for the suspension of results from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary primary in Ayawaso East, pending the outcome of a bribery investigation.
He suggested that if allegations of inducements are confirmed, the party should annul the results and impose sanctions under its constitution.
His intervention comes after the NDC launched a probe into claims that delegates were offered cash, motorbikes, food items, and electronic goods during the February 7 contest. The party’s national executives condemned the practice as a violation of its principles and pledged severe sanctions—including possible annulment—for any candidate found guilty.
One aspirant, Ghana’s High Commissioner to Nigeria Baba Jamal Mohammed Ahmed, who emerged victorious with 431 votes, admitted to distributing 32-inch NASCO television sets and other gifts but insisted they were acts of appreciation rather than inducements. Runner-up Hajia Amina Adam secured 399 votes.
Opong-Fosu, a former Member of Parliament for Amenfi East, said the National Executive Committee’s decision to investigate offered reassurance to ordinary party members. “In the interest of due process, procedural fairness, and the integrity of the party’s internal democratic mechanisms, it is respectfully recommended that the use and effect of the declared results be suspended pending the conclusion of the ongoing investigations,” he wrote in a widely shared Facebook post.
He further urged that if the probe substantiates the allegations, the party should annul the outcome and apply sanctions, including disqualification from future internal elections. He linked his recommendations to the NDC’s broader Reset Agenda, which focuses on institutional renewal, economic recovery, and restoring public confidence in democratic processes.
Civil society groups have condemned inducements in party primaries as vote-buying that undermines internal democracy. The NDC has stressed its commitment to a clean process and promised transparent handling of the inquiry.
Opong-Fosu’s call underscores growing internal pressure for accountability as the party seeks to maintain credibility ahead of future electoral challenges.
