Anti-corruption campaigners are calling for decisive action against any semblance of vote-buying in the upcoming 7 December general election.

This follows an incident where the incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) for Ayawaso West Wuogon, Lydia Alhassan, was seen distributing food to voters lined up during Monday’s special voting exercise.

Despite a video capturing the MP in the act, she denied in subsequent interviews with journalists ever engaging in such conduct.

• Read also: Confusion rocks Ayawaso West Wuogon as MP shares food for ‘special voters’ in a queue

“I wasn’t here. I don’t know if you saw me here. I came here before 6 a.m. and left a few minutes ago. I don’t even know what you’re talking about. I am yet to find out from them what happened,” she stated.

However, an anti-corruption campaigner and Co-Chair of the Citizen Movement Against Corruption argued that both the MP and the recipients of the items should have been apprehended by state authorities and investigated.

Edem Senanu said that with video evidence of the distribution, both those distributing and those receiving the items are persons of interest.

• Read also: OSP investigators questioning witnesses over Lydia Alhassan’s food distribution at polling station

He questioned whether the Inter-Agency Security Task Force could swiftly identify and summon such individuals for questioning.

“The sooner we do that, the better because it sets the tone that people cannot, with impunity, distribute and receive food while pretending we are conducting transparent, fair elections,” he said.

Mr Senanu stressed the urgency of investigating the matter, especially with only a few days remaining until the 7 December election.

“The OSP [Office of the Special Prosecutor] ought to demonstrate, within the next 48 hours, that the footage has been reviewed, persons identified, summoned, and conclusions drawn, with appropriate follow-up actions taken,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Electoral Commission (EC) has warned its staff against accepting food or any similar items from political parties or candidates.

In the Ayawaso Central constituency, both National Democratic Congress (NDC) and New Patriotic Party (NPP) representatives were seen distributing food, not to voters but to electoral officials.

The presiding officer at the polling centre made it clear that EC instructions explicitly prohibit accepting items from political parties or candidates.

“It’s never right. So, we told our officials: when they give you food, collect it and put it aside. If you take it and something happens to you, the EC and you will both face consequences,” the officer explained.