The National Democratic Congress parliamentary candidate for Ayawaso East, Baba Jamal Mohammed Ahmed, has rejected claims that he distributed television sets and other items to delegates during the party’s parliamentary primary held on February 7. His response follows mounting controversy surrounding the conduct of the election, which he won after competing against four other aspirants.
In the aftermath of the primary, allegations of vote buying and vote selling surfaced, triggering an investigation by the Office of the Special Prosecutor. The claims have since generated widespread public debate and renewed concerns about the credibility of internal party elections, particularly in closely contested constituencies.
Although Baba Jamal had earlier admitted that television sets were given to some delegates and described them at the time as gifts, he has now firmly distanced himself from assertions that he personally shared televisions or offered any form of inducement during the voting process. He maintains that he neither authorised nor participated in any such activity.
Speaking in an interview with TV3 two days after the polls, Baba Jamal stated that he only became aware of the allegations after the election had concluded. He expressed surprise at the claims and suggested that they had created unrealistic expectations among party members, many of whom now approach him demanding television sets he insists he does not have.
He further denied any association with individuals alleged to have been involved in distributing the items, stressing that he does not know them and has never interacted with them. According to him, his awareness of the matter is limited to hearing certain names mentioned in public discourse, without any personal knowledge or confirmation of their involvement.
Baba Jamal, who also serves as Ghana’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, insisted that the allegations have been unfairly linked to him simply because he emerged victorious in the contest. As investigations by the Office of the Special Prosecutor continue, the outcome is expected to have broader implications for internal party accountability and the enforcement of electoral ethics within Ghana’s political parties.
