The Centre for Democratic Development Ghana (CDD-Ghana) has called on the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to introduce clear regulations and strengthen monitoring systems to tackle allegations of vote-buying in its internal elections.
Vera Abena Addo, a Programme Officer at CDD-Ghana, said the opposition party must move beyond discussions about electoral guidelines and take concrete steps to prevent the practice ahead of its upcoming regional and national executive elections.
She warned that allegations of vote-buying during constituency-level elections could encourage similar practices in subsequent contests, potentially creating pressure on candidates to offer money or gifts to delegates in exchange for votes.
Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, Ms Addo stressed that the NDC should establish clear rules to regulate its internal electoral processes, even without specific legislation governing party elections.
She argued that political parties have a responsibility to ensure transparency, fairness and accountability throughout their internal elections.
CDD-Ghana Raises Concerns Over NDC Internal Elections
Ms Addo expressed concern over the delay in finalising and implementing guidelines to address vote-buying, particularly as the NDC prepares for the next stages of its internal electoral process.
She indicated that the party should implement the necessary measures before regional and national delegates vote to elect their respective executives.
According to her, allegations of financial inducements at the constituency level raise concerns about the potential scale of the problem during regional and national elections.
She warned that if candidates or their supporters distribute money and gifts during constituency elections, delegates could develop similar expectations in subsequent contests.
Ms Addo therefore urged the NDC leadership to treat the allegations seriously and introduce preventive measures to protect the credibility of its internal elections.
NDC Urged to Act on Previous Vote-Buying Allegations
The CDD-Ghana official also referred to previous concerns about vote-buying, including the Ayawaso incident, arguing that the party should have made more tangible progress in addressing the issue.
She said she had expected concrete measures to emerge from earlier discussions rather than continued efforts to develop electoral guidelines.
Ms Addo emphasised that addressing vote-buying requires more than drafting rules. Political parties must demonstrate a commitment to enforcing those rules and holding individuals accountable for violations.
She noted that effective enforcement would help discourage candidates from using financial incentives to influence delegates and promote a more credible internal electoral process.
CDD-Ghana Calls for Stronger Election Monitoring
Beyond introducing regulations, Ms Addo called on the NDC to establish a more organised and effective system for monitoring its internal elections.
She said election monitors, field officers and monitoring committees should have clearly defined responsibilities, alongside reliable procedures for documenting and reporting suspected electoral violations.
Her comments followed remarks by NDC National Deputy General Secretary Rashid Tanko, who referred to the deployment of officers to monitor the party’s internal elections.
Ms Addo maintained that the existence of monitoring officers was not enough unless the party had effective systems to establish what occurred during the voting process and investigate reported breaches.
She also explained that CDD-Ghana’s assessment of the elections relied partly on media reports from areas its officers were unable to visit.
Consequently, she urged the NDC to strengthen its internal monitoring arrangements to ensure that allegations of vote-buying are properly recorded, assessed and investigated.
Transparency and Accountability in Political Party Elections
The call by CDD-Ghana highlights growing concerns about electoral integrity, delegate voting and transparency in political party elections in Ghana.
Clear regulations, effective monitoring and consistent enforcement could help strengthen confidence in the NDC’s internal electoral process ahead of its regional and national executive contests.
The party’s response to allegations of vote-buying may also influence perceptions of its commitment to democratic principles, accountability and fair competition among aspirants seeking executive positions.
As the internal elections progress, attention is likely to remain on the measures adopted by the NDC leadership to prevent electoral malpractice and ensure that delegates can exercise their voting rights without undue influence.
Source: newsthemegh.com