NPP Election: CPP's Chairman Jerry Urges Expansion of Electoral Base to Curb Vote Buying

• The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) organised its national delegates' congress on July 16 amidst claims of vote buying
• Assin Central legislator, Kennedy Agyapong urged some delegates to accept monies given to them by the candidates a day before the election
• A youth leader of the Convention People's Party (CPP), Chairman Jerry, has condemned the lawmaker's advice

The ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) held its national delegates' congress on July 16 amidst claims that some of the candidates engaged in vote buying.

Before the voting day on Saturday, a video of Assin Central legislator, Kennedy Agyapong encouraging some delegates to accept monies given to them by the candidates emerged.

The lawmaker advised the NPP delegates to take the monies but ensure to vote for the right candidates.

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Speaking on the issue of vote buying, a youth leader of the Convention People's Party (CPP), Chairman Jerry, born Eric Jerry Aidoo, condemned the comments by Kennedy Agyapong.

He urged political parties to expand their electoral base and allow all card-bearing members to vote to nip the problem of vote buying in the bud.

''The only two things to solve voting buying in Ghana and Africa are to open the electoral college; the voting system, and allow all card-bearing members to vote.

''Just imagine; me coming from Tema Central Constituency, we have maybe 30,000 or 50,000 NPP registered members here ... If there are like five million people going to vote, can you bride them?'' he asked.

The CPP youth leader urged leaders of political parties to also criminalise vote buying to curb its practice.

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''We have to criminalise vote buying. What Kennedy Agyapong said, people were there, I saw some of the pictures, you have to arrest them because it's corruption. You're trying to influence some people, and in the constitution, that's against the law,'' he said.

Chairman Jerry stressed that the issue of vote buying must be addressed by various political parties because it affects the quality of leadership the parties elect and the country.

The youth leader bemoaned the situation where delegates are bused from their constituencies to another region to vote, saying it compounds the problem.

''The best way to solve the problem of vote buying is to allow every constituency to conduct their election to vote for party executives. They should pick a day, and whether you're an executive member or not, you have to vote,'' he said.

NPP Elections: Full List of Winners

Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh previously reported that after two days of fierce contests for the top ten positions, delegates elected the National Executive Committee members to lead the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

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More than 6,000 delegates voted for 46 candidates who vied for the top 10 executive positions to lead the NPP to achieve its quest to ''break the eight'' and rule Ghana beyond President Akufo-Addo's two terms.

The delegates made their choices and the 10 newly elected national executives were sworn in at the National Delegates' Conference held at the Accra Sports Stadium on July 16.

The new national executives vowed to uphold and defend the party's constitution as they took their oath of office.

Below are the names of the winners.

1. Mr Stephen Ntim- National Chairman.

2. Vice-Chairman- Danquah Smith Buttey.

3. Rita Asobayire- 2nd Vice Chairman.

Source: YEN.com.gh