Aspirants losing huge funds to 'political contractors' in North Dayi delegate-buying scam

Prospective aspirants and delegates preparing for internal party elections in the North Dayi Constituency have been cautioned against an alleged delegate-buying scheme in which individuals purportedly present themselves as political “contractors” capable of securing votes of delegates in exchange for large sums of money.

Concerns about the alleged practice have surfaced among members of both the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the constituency, with some party members claiming that aspirants from the two major political parties have, at various times, fallen victim to individuals who allegedly promise to influence or secure delegates on their behalf.

According to allegations circulating within political circles in North Dayi, some individuals approach prospective parliamentary and other internal-election aspirants, claiming to have established relationships with delegates and the ability to influence their voting decisions.

The individuals are allegedly presented as intermediaries who can “deliver” specific numbers of delegates if aspirants are prepared to pay substantial amounts of money.

However, concerned party members allege that in some cases, aspirants who make such payments later discover that the promised delegates were either never secured or had no knowledge that their names had been used in purported financial arrangements.

Kotto Daniel named in allegations

Prominent among those named in the allegations is Kotto Daniel, identified as the North Dayi Constituency Secretary.

Some individuals within the constituency have alleged that Kotto Daniel is connected to, or plays a leading role in, what they describe as a network of political intermediaries allegedly soliciting money from prospective aspirants with promises of influencing delegates.

The allegations further suggest that some aspirants have been approached with claims that particular numbers of delegates can be secured for them ahead of internal elections.

Complainants allege that after money is paid, some of the promised support either fails to materialise or the intermediaries become difficult to reach, leaving the affected aspirants with significant financial losses.

The claims, however, have not been independently verified, and no finding of wrongdoing has been established against Kotto Daniel or any other individual mentioned in connection with the allegations.

Alleged cross-party phenomenon

What is particularly concerning to some party members is the claim that the alleged practice is not confined to one political party.

They contend that both NDC and NPP aspirants seeking to secure nominations or positions within their respective parties have been exposed to individuals who claim they can mobilise delegates in their favour.

According to the allegations, the strategy exploits the intense competition surrounding internal party elections, where aspirants are often under considerable pressure to demonstrate that they have sufficient grassroots support.

Some political actors are therefore said to take advantage of that pressure by presenting themselves as persons with access to influential delegates or constituency structures.

Party members say aspirants can easily become vulnerable when they are made to believe that another candidate has already secured a significant number of delegates through such intermediaries.

Delegates allegedly used without their knowledge

The concerns also extend to delegates themselves.

Some delegates reportedly complain that their names may be cited by individuals claiming to have secured their votes, despite the delegates having made no such commitment.

This, concerned party members argue, can create a false perception of “delegate ownership” and distort the actual level of support enjoyed by competing aspirants.

They maintain that a delegate's inclusion in a purported list of financially secured supporters does not necessarily mean the delegate has agreed to vote for the candidate concerned.

The situation, they say, could undermine the independence of delegates and create unnecessary mistrust among party members.

Calls for caution

Prospective aspirants in both the NDC and NPP are consequently being urged to exercise extreme caution before handing money to individuals who claim they can deliver predetermined numbers of delegates.

They are being encouraged to verify such claims directly and independently rather than relying solely on assurances from intermediaries.

Delegates are also being urged to reject attempts by individuals to portray their votes as commodities that can be bought, sold or controlled by third parties.

Concerned party members argue that internal elections should be determined by the policies, credibility, competence, track record and grassroots appeal of aspirants—not by the financial capacity of candidates or intermediaries who claim to control delegates.

Calls for investigation

There are growing calls for the relevant party authorities to take complaints about alleged delegate manipulation seriously and establish clear mechanisms for reporting and investigating suspected financial inducements or fraudulent claims of delegate control.

Those raising the alarm say a transparent investigation could help establish whether such activities are taking place and, where necessary, identify those responsible.

They also believe that party leadership in North Dayi should take steps to protect delegates from being falsely presented as having been financially secured by particular aspirants.

The controversy has also prompted calls for aspirants to desist from engaging individuals who make unverifiable claims about their ability to “buy,” “secure” or deliver delegates.

While some individuals have indicated that additional information and evidence may emerge concerning the alleged activities, the claims currently circulating remain allegations and have not been independently substantiated.

The individuals accused, including Kotto Daniel, should therefore be given an opportunity to respond to the allegations before any conclusion is drawn.

For political parties preparing for internal elections, however, the broader warning remains significant: no aspirant should assume that paying an intermediary guarantees a delegate's vote, and no delegate should allow another person to claim ownership of his or her democratic choice.