NPP Super Delegates Congress: Allegations of Vote-Buying and Camps

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) held its Super Delegates Congress on Saturday, August 26, 2023, to elect the top five candidates for the general congress on November 4. The congress was held in 17 polling stations across the country, with over 5,000 delegates casting their votes.

The Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, emerged as the clear winner of the congress, securing a commanding lead over his nine opponents. He was followed by Alan Kyerematen, Kennedy Agyapong, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, and Francis Addai Nimoh, who made it to the top five.

However, the congress was not without controversy, as some aspirants and delegates alleged foul play and vote-buying by some candidates. One of them was Kwame Owusu, a delegate from the Ashanti Region, who claimed that he saw people being camped by some candidates ahead of the congress.

"I saw people being camped at hotels and guest houses by some candidates. They were given money and other incentives to vote for them. This is not fair and it undermines the credibility of the congress," he said.

Owusu said he voted for Dr Bawumia because he believed he was the best person to lead the party and the country after President Akufo-Addo's tenure. He said he was not influenced by any inducement or pressure from anyone.

"I voted for Bawumia because he has proven himself as a competent and visionary leader. He has been loyal to the party and the President. He has also contributed immensely to the development of the country, especially in the areas of digitalization, infrastructure, and economic management," he said.

He urged the other aspirants who did not make it to the top five to accept the results and support the winner of the general congress. He also called on the party leadership to investigate and sanction any candidate who engaged in unethical practices during the congress.

The NPP Super Delegates Congress was a crucial step in determining who will be the party's flagbearer for the 2024 general elections. The top five candidates will face off in another round of voting at the National Delegate Conference on November 4, where over 200,000 delegates will decide who will lead the party into the next polls.