NDUOM CONDEMNS NDC VOTE-BUYING IN TALENSI

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu

Thursday, July 09, 2015

Founder of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP), Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom says the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) used state resources to induce voters in the just-ended by-election in Talensi.

In the run-up to the by-election in the Upper East Region, there was accusation that the ruling NDC was deeply engaged in vote-buying, pulling all the stops including fertiliser bribery, cash donations, flat screen TV, mobile phones, 24/7 full electricity supply among others.

Before voting commenced on Tuesday, Dr. Nduom posted on social media platform Facebook, indicting the NDC, which eventually won the by-election, on their vote-buying tactics.

He said “is this the democracy many fought for? What has happened in Talensi is something to be ashamed about.”

“What is most disturbing though is the money very visibly used to influence the people - tons of it. Where did it come from? Is my tax money in there?”

He said “if we let this Talensi situation become the norm, what will be the point? Politics of stealing, bribery, violence will lead to more poverty and despair in a nation with no excuse not to be prosperous. What a shame!”

Dr Nduom asked “and what happened to ideas? Then the threats, intimidation and ultimately violence - so the party that succeeds in showing more muscle gets the vote and that is democracy Ghana style?”

“I got my first hint of this when an NDC man rushed up to us near the Catholic Church in Tongo to ask what I was doing there when his party had booked the place for a rally. It was a Sunday morning. I am a Catholic and was there to attend mass!”

“I was there. Where we were (PPP) was always peaceful. There was productive interchange about what the people needed - better education, infrastructure of all types, healthcare facilities, jobs, jobs, jobs. You could see lights go on in people's faces when we described what can be and how good and different life can become.”

“We could feel the poverty in the land. It was visible, staring us in the face. And this is what is fueling the politics of stealing, violence and bribery. Must it take an election for government to put up streetlights, tar a few yards of road and dress up others?”