The National Democratic Congress (NDC) lacks the legal locus to annul the Ayawaso East parliamentary primary, as the Electoral Commission (EC) has already declared Mohammed Baba Jamal Ahmed winner of the by-election with certified results.
There is no evidence from the EC indicating any irregularities that could have affected the electoral process, from voting and collation to the declaration of results. No electoral malpractices were identified by the EC, raising questions about the basis on which the NDC seeks to annul results declared by an independent democratic institution.
A local governance expert, Issaka Amon Kotei, made these remarks on the Adekyee Mu Nsem morning show on Ahotor 92.3 FM in Accra, hosted by Citizen Kofi Owusu. He strongly criticized the delegates’ system of elections in the country, describing it as deeply corrupt across all political parties and even within institutional and corporate leadership selection processes.
According to Mr. Kotei, the delegates’ system has entrenched a culture of vote buying that is destroying the nation’s body politic. He warned that the monetization of elections, including in tertiary institutions, poses a serious threat to democratic values, noting that both major political parties are guilty of financing such practices nationwide.
He reiterated the need for a comprehensive review of all delegates-based electoral systems at every level. He called for the expansion of the Electoral College as a way to curb vote buying and control the growing monetization of Ghana’s electoral system. Describing vote buying as a “horrible act,” he urged a return to strong value systems in the election of leaders at all levels.
In a related development, the Greater Accra Regional Organiser of the NDC, Anthony Nukpenu, has dismissed calls by the party’s Majority Caucus in Parliament for the annulment of the Ayawaso East parliamentary primary, describing the demand as lacking both legal and moral basis.
His response follows a statement issued by the Majority Caucus on Sunday, February 8, 2026, calling for the immediate cancellation of the primary that produced Baba Jamal as winner, amid allegations of vote buying. The statement, signed by Majority Leader and Leader of Government Business, Mahama Ayariga, cited widely circulated reports of inducement during the conduct of the election.
After what it described as extensive deliberations, the caucus resolved to formally petition the NDC’s Functional Executive Committee to annul the election and bar any candidate found culpable of vote buying from participating in a rerun.
Mr. Nukpenu, who served as the supervisor of the primary, strongly opposed the caucus’s position. He argued that members of the Majority Caucus lacked the locus to make such demands, pointing out that vote buying has become a pervasive problem in party elections and should not be selectively condemned.
While acknowledging that some acts of vote buying may have occurred, Mr. Nukpenu maintained that the overall conduct of the election was free and fair. He noted that most reported irregularities occurred outside the designated voting areas.
“The act is condemnable,” he said, “but it is inconsistent for individuals who have either benefited from or presided over similar practices to now demand punitive action.”
He also criticized the timing of the caucus’s statement, noting that it was issued after the NDC’s General Secretary, Fiifi Fiavi Kwetey, had already released an official statement condemning vote buying and reaffirming the party’s commitment to investigate the allegations.
According to Mr. Nukpenu, the matter should be left to the party’s internal investigative mechanisms rather than being politicized through public statements that risk deepening divisions within the party.