Director of Strategy, Research and Communications at the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), Samuel Appiah Darko, has disclosed that the investigative body maintains an active interest in every election conducted in Ghana, stressing that no electoral process falls outside its monitoring scope.
Mr Darko made the clarification on the Citi Breakfast Show while responding to public commentary and criticisms that followed the OSP’s recent statement announcing investigations into allegations of vote buying during the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) Ayawaso East parliamentary primary and the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) presidential primary.
Some observers had suggested that the OSP’s actions appeared selective, a claim Mr Darko firmly rejected.
According to him, the OSP’s decision to probe both cases is rooted in its broader mandate to safeguard public accountability and uphold the law, particularly in matters that threaten the integrity of Ghana’s democratic processes.
He explained that the OSP does not single out specific political parties or elections, but rather pays attention to all electoral activities across the country.
“Any election which takes place in this country, the OSP is interested in it and we do monitor those elections and so if you read our statement very well, you will notice that this statement is not just about what happened at Ayawaso East, either is it about what happened in the NPP primaries.
“It is generally that we are reminding Ghanaians that vote buying and vote selling is prohibited by law and that we must refrain from it.”
The Ayawaso East parliamentary primary of the NDC, which has been at the centre of recent discussions, was won by Ghana’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, Baba Jamal Mohammed Ahmed.
He defeated Hajia Amina Adam and three other aspirants to secure victory in the contest. However, the outcome was followed by allegations of inducement, sparking calls for investigations and accountability.
In response to the controversy, the NDC announced the establishment of an internal investigative committee to examine the allegations of inducement linked to the primary.
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