The recent display of lawlessness and impunity by Kwadaso Member of Parliament, Prof. Kingsley Nyarko, casts a dark shadow over our election management system. His alleged involvement in vote buying and attempts to influence election officials with money tarnish the credibility of our electoral process, especially when it emanates from the stronghold of the New Patriotic Party.
The footage from media reports, depicting the Member of Parliament handing an envelope to election officials, is deeply regrettable. It epitomizes an undemocratic practice of using monetary incentives to sway the will of voters and manipulate electoral outcomes in favor of the incumbent government.
Mahdi Jibril, Deputy Director of Elections for the National Democratic Congress, expressed these concerns during an appearance on the Adekyee Mu Nsem morning show on Ahotor 92.3 FM, hosted by Citizen Kofi Owusu in Accra.
Jibril contends that while the Electoral Commission’s decision to suspend the implicated officers is a step, it remains inconclusive if law enforcement agencies hesitate to apprehend the Member of Parliament, Prof. Kingsley Nyarko, for his alleged involvement in bribery.
Meanwhile, the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has called for the immediate arrest of Prof. Kingsley Nyarko, the Member of Parliament for Kwadaso, following the circulation of footage showing him purportedly offering money to Electoral Commission officials during the Ejisu by-election.
Although the Electoral Commission has asserted that the money was intended for lunch, Mustapha Gbande, Deputy General Secretary of the NDC, expressed astonishment at the lawmaker’s continued freedom.
Gbande emphasized the need for equal application of the law, regardless of one’s position, urging law enforcement to swiftly act against suspected wrongdoers. He underscored the injustice of punishing vulnerable Electoral Commission officials for accepting bribes while allegedly turning a blind eye to the actions of an elected official engaging in bribery.
