Civil society organisation Crusaders Against Corruption has issued a strong condemnation of alleged vote-buying and voter inducement that marred the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary primary in the Ayawaso East Constituency over the weekend — calling on President John Dramani Mahama to ensure swift action by Ghana’s investigative bodies against those implicated.

In a press release to all media houses, the group reiterated that vote buying — whether in the form of cash, gifts, food, or other material benefits- is “unlawful, unethical, and fundamentally threatens the integrity of our democratic system.” The statement emphasised that such conduct is expressly prohibited under Ghana’s constitutional and electoral laws, including the Public Elections Regulations, 2020 (C.I. 127) and the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).

The Ayawaso East primary held on Saturday, February 7, was dogged by allegations that delegates were induced with items like 32-inch television sets and money, which critics say compromised the integrity of the internal party election. In response, the NDC established a three-member committee, led by veteran politician Kofi Totobi Quakyi, to investigate the claims and recommend sanctions by February 10.

Crusaders Against Corruption used the statement to push beyond rhetorical condemnation and calls for decisive enforcement: “We strongly condemn all acts of vote buying and voter inducement in the electoral process in Ghana. These practices are unlawful, unethical, and fundamentally threaten the integrity of our democratic system.”

The group demanded that the Presidency formally call on appropriate state investigative bodies to enforce electoral laws “irrespective of who or which political party is involved.”

It also wants the Legislature to exercise its oversight responsibility by ensuring relevant institutions act in accordance with the law, and also calls on the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) provide citizens with an account of how existing laws have been applied in past alleged vote-buying cases.

Crusaders Chief Crusader Emmanuel Wilson Jnr framed vote-buying as a threat not just to party politics but to Ghana’s democratic fabric. “Vote buying, whether through cash, gifts, food items, or promises of material benefit… undermines the sovereign right of the Ghanaian people to choose their leaders without coercion or inducement,” the statement said.

The broader context of these allegations has already drawn national attention. The Office of the Special Prosecutor said it has begun investigations into both NPP and NDC primaries over similar vote-buying allegations, focusing on the sources of alleged corrupt acts and related misconduct.

Within the NDC itself, the controversy escalated after the party’s Majority caucus in Parliament called for the annulment of the Ayawaso East primary and possible sanctions against implicated candidates. Other political actors have also criticised the alleged practices as an erosion of democratic norms.

Crusaders Against Corruption’s statement closes with a call to move beyond symbolic condemnation toward enforcement, accountability, and transparent application of the rule of law — underscoring that without effective action, confidence in Ghana’s democratic processes will continue to erode.