General Secretary of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), John Boadu, is not surprised some aspirants in the party’s just regional executive elections paid monies to delegates.
According to him, gifting monies to delegates in an internal election is not a new phenomenon but it does not guarantee victory for an aspirant.
Mr Boadu’s comment is in reaction to a claim by a defeated Ashanti Regional Chairman hopeful that he paid GH¢1,000 to each delegate on the election day in his quest to win.
A livid Robert Asare Bediako said despite paying the delegates, they still did not vote for him.
He is certain he would have won the election if not for the monetisation of the exercise.
But the NPP General Secretary on Adom FM’s morning show, Dwaso Nsem programme said no one can pay his or her way for a position in the NPP.
He explained that, the delegates look beyond money and vote for hardworking and commitment to the cause of NPP.
“People can pay five times more than what he paid and will still lose to someone who did not pay money because the delegates are not influenced by money,” the NPP scribe stressed.
Mr Boadu said a candidate must know his or her chances before committing monetary resources to an election.
Citing the Ashanti Regional election as an example, he said it was a two horse race between incumbent, Chairman Wontumi and Odeneho Appiah, hence Asare Bediako should have known better.
“In an election, it’s not just about resources, it is about your message, network and timing of your campaign,” he added.