Former General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), John Boadu, has downplayed vote-buying accusations levelled against his party by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the ongoing Assin North by-election.
The two main political parties have accused each other of vote-buying.
Responding to this in an interview with journalists in Assin North, Boadu slammed the NDC for engaging in the act and then turning around to accuse NPP members of vote-buying.
He described the NDC’s claims as petty. He insisted that there is nothing wrong with facilitating the transportation of some of the disadvantaged voters.
“The fertilizer, machetes, and other things they were sharing, what was that? I think that we have moved on from this pettiness in politics. They have been sharing things all over the place, and then they turn around and come and complain. About 20 people came to me and said they wanted to come and vote, wouldn’t I give them transportation to come? What are all these things? They wasted our time and said you did it, so we also did it.”
“I don’t have time for some of these things. They were sharing things all over the place. Haven’t you seen samples of it? What is this? Childish. I don’t think we can continue this kind of debate. You give this, you give that, what is it?”
He refuted claims that the NPP has been sharing money to voters.
“I went to the polling station and saw my brother, who may not see me before I leave. What is wrong if I give him money? What is wrong with that? What is this about? The NDC will just go and misbehave and then turn around and want a debate. What kind of backwardness is that? Let’s move on. Have you seen anybody here sharing money? But we have to support our people to come and vote. If I go to a place and someone says they haven’t eaten, do I ignore the person? No. That’s not the way to go,” Boadu clarified.