Former New Patriotic Party (NPP) Chairman for the Fomena Constituency, Kwasi Anti Asamoah, says the practice of sharing money and gifts during elections in Ghana is deeply entrenched and can never be completely eliminated.
Speaking on Angel FM in Kumasi, the former party chairman argued that all political actors engage in the practice, noting that differences in financial strength among candidates often determine how much they are able to give, not whether they participate at all.
“We all pay, but sometimes some people have more money than others,” he said. “All the candidates paid, but the richest won.”
Kwasi Anti Asamoah cited examples from both major political parties to support his claim, insisting that vote buying is not unique to any single election or candidate.
“When John Mahama went to Sunyani, this happened,” he stated. “Even in the recent NPP primaries, the same thing occurred. Dr. Bawumia paid 500 cedis, Kennedy Agyapong also paid 500 cedis, and some people even paid 700 cedis. In the end, one person won.”
According to him, public criticism surrounding recent allegations of vote buying is unnecessary because the practice has always been part of Ghana’s electoral process.
“This is something that is always done, so why are we making a fuss about the current one?” he asked. “It will never end. I am saying the truth. We are all guilty of this.”
Despite acknowledging the widespread nature of money-sharing during elections, the former chairman maintained that financial inducements do not necessarily influence voting decisions.
“It is not always the highest bidder who wins,” he explained. “The money people take does not influence the decisions of the voters.”
He concluded by stating that he does not see anything inherently wrong with the practice, describing it as a long-standing reality rather than a decisive factor in determining electoral outcomes.
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