NDC Rocked By Vote-Buying Scare

Four days to the much publicised National Democratic Congress (NDC) special delegates’ congress to elect a presidential candidate, hints of voting buying have rocked the party.

Sources said one of the aspirants is expected to officially file a complaint to the NDC leadership about the use of money by some of his rivals to influence delegates.

An old face in the race, Daily Guide learnt, has deployed agents to the field to have a last chance meeting with delegates, where the promise of heavy handouts was made to them. However, one of the agents of the presidential hopeful was chased out of the Brong-Ahafo Region when he asked the delegates to vote for the aspirant in exchange for money.

The agent, who doubles as a spokesman and director of operations for the campaign team of the desperate aspirant, at meeting with the delegates on Saturday, was told to his face that their votes were not for sale. Wearing a long face, the agent, an unsuccessful parliamentary aspirant, had no choice but leave the meeting.

The NDC is lining up four candidates at the December 21 Congress at the University of Ghana, Legon, where over 2,000 delegates are expected to elect a flagbearer to lead the party for the 2008 elections. The presidential hopefuls are thrice defeated flagbearer, Prof John Evans Atta Mills; an old horse, Alhaji Mahama Iddrisu; business mogul and political neophyte, Eddie Annan and 52-year old Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, chief executive officer of London-based Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO).

The aspirants have been criss-crossing the length and breadth of the country, canvasing for votes. However, Daily Guide learnt that one of the aspirants has concluded arrangements to deploy his security apparatus to forestall any nasty incidents, considering the party’s recent records. The last two national congresses of the NDC were characterized with violence, as goons loyal to factions close to party founder, Jerry Rawlings, were unleashed on opponents.

In 2002, at the Central Cafeteria, University of Ghana, thugs loyal to the Rawlings/Mills camp beat up supporters of Dr Kwesi Botchwey, the only challenger to Mills for the NDC presidential slot against the 2004 elections. The aftermath of the congress was the shocking resignation of Hon. Abraham Kofi Asante of Amenfi East, from Parliament.

Kofi Asante has now teamed up with former NDC national chairman, Mr Obed Yao Asamoah and other ex-NDC officials and appointees who equally suffered attacks at the Koforidua congress, to form the Democratic Freedom Party (DFP). However, National Organiser, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, said the party was doing everything to ensure security at the congress venue, to avoid a repeat of the Koforidua mayhem. Delegates are expected to arrive for the congress, themed: “Unity for Victory 2008”, on Wednesday.

A visit to the campus of the University of Ghana, witnessed mass advertisements for Eddie Annan and Spio-Garbrah, as their posters and banners were seen competing for attention.The posters of Alhaji Iddrisu and front runner, Mills, could however not be traced.