Kwadaso MP Denies He Intended To Bribe Electoral Officers: "I Can't Do That In Public"

• Member of Parliament for Kwadaso Constituency, Professor Kingsley Nyarko, says he did not bribe the electoral officers at the Ejisu by-election
• The MP was captured on video offering two electoral officers a white envelope who appeared reluctant to receive it
• The MP says the envelope was meant to be used for lunch and not bribe them as being purported

The Member of Parliament for Kwadaso Constituency, Professor Kingsley Nyarko, has denied allegations he bribed electoral officers during the Ejisu Constituency by-election held on Tuesday, April 30.

The MP was captured on camera handing over a white envelope to two electoral officers while the by-election was still ongoing.

This led to the Electoral Commission immediately withdrawing the electoral officers and referring the incident to the police for criminal investigation.

According to the Kwadaso MP, the white envelope was intended as a favour for the electoral officers to use for lunch, not to bribe them.

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EC reveals the identity of officials engaged in alleged bribery, says money given them was “for lunch”

He stated that he had no intention to bribe the officers and would not have done so in public if that was what the white envelope was about.

The MP supported the New Patriotic Party’s candidate for the Ejisu seat, Kwabena Boateng. He said that throughout the electoral process, he had not influenced anybody to do anything untoward to favour his candidate's electoral chances.

Prof Nyarko asserted that his conscience was clear about his conduct and he had no intention of disabusing people’s minds of whatever they thought the action was.

He added that he expects the opposition to spin the incident and cast aspersions on himself and the party; however, he is unperturbed. He also welcomed the EC’s reference of the incident to the police for criminal investigation and said he would avail himself when called upon.

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NPP MP Kingsley Nyarko at the centre of bribery allegations involving EC officials at Ejisu by-election

Meanwhile, the EC has held preliminary discussions with the police service concerning the incident and has called for criminal investigations into the alleged bribery attempt.

According to the EC, it remains committed to ensuring peaceful, fair and credible elections and such incidents undermine those efforts. It urged the police service to be swift in its investigations.

NPP’s Kwabena Boateng wins Ejisu by-election

YEN.com.gh reported that the New Patriotic Party's Kwabena Boateng has won the Ejisu Constituency by-election, maintaining the governing party's slim majority in Parliament.

Boateng's leading contender in the poll was former MP Kwabena Aduomi, who was running as an independent candidate.

Boateng secured 27,782 votes, representing 55.8% of the total votes cast, while Aduomi garnered 21,534, representing 43.3% of the total votes, according to provisional results.

The other candidates in the race were Esther Osei of the CPP, Beatrice Boakye of the LPG, Gabriel Agyemang Joseph, an independent candidate, and Attakorah Joseph, also an independent candidate.

Source: YEN.com.gh