Ayawaso East NDC Primary Shaken by Vote-Buying Allegations and Recall of High Commissioner Baba Jamal

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary primary for the Ayawaso East constituency has been plunged into controversy following the victory of Mohammed Baba Jamal Ahmed, Ghana’s High Commissioner to Nigeria. While Baba Jamal secured 431 votes (45%) to defeat his closest rival, Hajia Amina Adam, who garnered 399 votes (41%), the election results were immediately overshadowed by widespread allegations of vote-buying and electoral malpractice. In a swift response to the growing scandal, President John Dramani Mahama has recalled Baba Jamal from his diplomatic post in Nigeria, as the party and external observers grapple with the fallout from an election marred by the distribution of various inducements to delegates.

The primary’s outcome defied pre-election forecasts by Global InfoAnalytics, whose Executive Director, Mussa Dankwah, had predicted a comfortable win for Hajia Amina Adam. Dankwah attributed the discrepancy to 'high voter inducement,' noting that the model's expected 50% for Adam fell significantly short as Baba Jamal outperformed expectations by several percentage points. Evidence in the form of videos and witness reports emerged during the polls, showing delegates carrying 32-inch television sets and other gifts, including motorbikes, money, and even boiled eggs. Despite the visual evidence, Baba Jamal has defended his actions, describing the items as a reflection of his long-standing tradition of generosity and hospitality toward his constituents rather than a calculated attempt to influence the electoral outcome.

The scandal has prompted sharp reactions from civil society and political analysts. Franklin Cudjoe, President of IMANI Africa, has called for the total annulment of the primary, citing gross violations of the NDC’s electoral code and urging the party to uphold higher moral standards. Similarly, Mussa Dankwah has suggested that the matter be referred to the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to investigate the corruption allegations. Within the party, Emmanuel Nii Ashie Moore, the NDC’s Greater Accra Regional Chairman, admitted that policing financial influence in internal polls has become increasingly difficult. He highlighted the rise of digital transactions, such as Mobile Money, which allow for discreet voter inducement that traditional security measures struggle to monitor.

As the NDC initiates internal investigations into the conduct of all candidates involved in the Ayawaso East primary, the incident has reignited a national debate on the ethics of gift-giving in Ghanaian politics. While Baba Jamal emphasizes that his intent was not to sway votes, critics argue that such practices undermine the integrity of the democratic process. The party now faces the challenge of addressing these systemic issues of financial influence while preparing for the upcoming by-election and broader national polls, with the Ayawaso East case serving as a critical test of the NDC's commitment to electoral transparency.