The Special Aide to former president John Mahama has criticised government for its conduct during last Tuesday’s by-election in the Assin North constituency. 

Joyce Bawa Mogtari accused the government of bribery and vote-buying aimed at deceiving the voters.

In a Facebook post on Thursday, June 29, the former Deputy Transport Minister berated government for its undemocratic conduct. 

According to her, the government attempted to use such abuse to sway voters to vote for the ruling party’s candidate in the polls and to unnecessarily hurt the country’s democratic system.

“One of the fallouts from the recent Assin North by-election, where the NPP received a humiliating loss, was the incumbency abuse, which was on full display. Many also question why the President would make bold statements about Hon. Quayson going to prison when the case is still ongoing.”

“Additionally, it is worrying that the government resorted to bribery and vote-buying tactics to win the seat. It is insulting to think that last-minute inducements like road construction would sway voters after years of neglect.”

“The victory of justice and humility over abuse and arrogance shows that the people are awake and will no longer tolerate incumbency abuse in our politics.”

Background

James Gyakye Quayson of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) will be making a return to Parliament after his constituents kept faith with him and helped him win the keenly contested Assin North constituency by-election on Tuesday.

Officials of the Electoral Commission declared Quayson the victor, raising his hand to signal the status as NDC officials broke into their ‘Revo, Revo, has come to stay’ chorus.

Mr Quayson, ejected from Parliament last month following a Supreme Court decision to annul the 2020 constituency election, won the closely contested by-election with 17,245 votes representing 57.56% of valid votes.

His main rival, Charles Opoku of the New Patriotic Party polled 12,630 or 42.15% of valid votes to place second, while the Liberal Party of Ghana’s Bernice Enam Sefanu polled only 87 votes or 0.29%.

With a turnout of 74.23%, officials of the Electoral Commission (EC), in interviews shortly ahead of the declaration of results, indicated that the turnout was very high.