It is not wrong to induce delegates with money — Jake
New Patriotic Party (NPP) Chairman, Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, says candidates are free to use money to influence delegates if they have it because in politics, money is a gift.
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Responding to allegations of inducement and corruption ahead of elections to select regional executives, Jake gave a lecture on the importance of using one's strengths in politics.
"If you speak well, then go and speak well, if you are a good organiser, show the people you are a good organiser; if you have money, then use the money, if you have time and patience, then show the people you have time and patience", - an advice that could potentially increase a vote-buying orgy.
An aspiring regional chairman, Bernard Antwi-Boasiako aka Wontumi, this week donated a three-storey building to the party to be used as office space. The decision of the regional chairman to accept the donation has angered the other contenders who have complained of bias.
But to Jake, politics "is like a heptathlon; it's not just one event...there is sprint, long distance, shooting, there is swimming [and] archery. Some of those things you will be good at, some of those things you are not so good at, so you work hard to make sure that you don't fall too far back... and you maximise the advantage that you have".
The national chairman, who is also seeking re-election, said, "it will be difficult in politics to stop them from using their strengths" despite concerns that it amounted to vote buying.
But a political scientist at the University of Ghana, Ransford Gyampo, is disappointed in the NPP leader's comment saying; "That statement shouldn't come from a high profile person like him".
Although he conceded that money was important in running a campaign, he feared it would undermine the internal democracy of the party.
According to the senior lecturer, using money to influence voters will create an uneven playing field, sacrifice fair competition and create rancour and bitterness for those disadvantaged by the lack of money.
He conjectured that the NPP chairman might have made the comment because he was also contesting but he warned that undue monetary influence would create ineffective leaders.