A member of the Movement for Change, Hopeson Yaovi Adorye, has acknowledged the outcome of the just ended Ejisu by-election, while raising concerns over what he described as “moneycracy” influencing the electoral process.
Speaking to JoyNews following the announcement of the election results by the Electoral Commission (EC), Mr Adorye, who served as a polling officer for Independent candidate, Kwabena Owusu Aduomi, however accepted the outcome.
“We’ve accepted the result as declared by the EC. What they have is a reflection of what we have so we accept it,” he said on Tuesday.
However, the former New Patriotic Party member did not shy away from addressing what he perceived as the undue influence of monetary incentives in the electoral process.
He criticized his former party over the influx of money into the constituency, alleging that it amounted to a form of inducement.
“I will describe this election as ‘moneycracy’ or an election of inducement. I mean how? Look at the money that they’ve sent to this particular constituency,” he stated.
He said such conduct casts doubt on the integrity of the election.
He called attention to the significant sums of money reportedly circulated during the campaign period, questioning the rationale behind such expenditures in a relatively small constituency like Ejisu.
“… The money that they have shared, I can tell you, it is equal to the money that IMF has given to us. Why? This small constituency like this? It is too much.”
Moreover, Mr Adorye issued a defiant challenge to the NPP, asserting that despite the outcome of the by-election, the Movement for Change would not be deterred.
He warned, “But we’re waiting for them in December, they should come and share the same money again.”
The highly contested Ejisu by-election which took place on Tuesday, recorded an incident where Prof Kingsley Nyarko, MP for Kwadaso was caught on camera handing over an envelope suspected to contain cash to some Electoral Commission (EC) officials at a polling centre.
In a viral video trending on social media, Mr Nyarko was seen surreptitiously pulling the white envelope from his pocket and placing it on the table in front of the EC officials.
Subsequently, the EC withdrew two of its officials amid allegations of bribery.