Member of Parliament for New Juaben South, Michael Okyere Baafi, has vowed not to contest future elections if the growing monetisation of Ghana’s electoral process is not curtailed.
Speaking after the September 2, 2025, Akwatia by-election, Mr. Okyere Baafi described vote buying as a dangerous practice that undermines the country’s democracy.
He accused the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) of distributing cash and items, including hair dryers and spraying machines, to sway voters. He further alleged that amounts between GH₵500 and GH₵1,000 were paid to individuals on polling day.
In an interview with AsaasePa on Tuesday, September 2, he declared:
“If this is how our election is going to be, then I will not contest as MP in the next election.”
The MP also apologised for an earlier comment in which he vowed to resign if the New Patriotic Party (NPP) lost the Akwatia by-election.
He explained that the statement was made to motivate his campaign team but admitted he “went a step too far.”
“I apologise to Ghanaians for that. Looking at the work we had done, there was no way we could have lost the election,” he said, stressing that the outcome was shaped by widespread vote buying.
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