A political marketing consultant at the University of Education, Winneba, Dr Bernard Tutu-Boahene, has criticised the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) decision to retain Baba Jamal as its parliamentary candidate for the Ayawaso East by-election, warning that the party risks “normalising” vote-buying and undermining public confidence in internal democracy.
Speaking on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Wednesday (11 February), Dr Tutu-Boahene said the party’s justification that all aspirants engaged in some form of misconduct effectively diluted individual culpability and could embolden both politicians and delegates to treat inducement as acceptable political behaviour.
“For me, it’s a strategy of normalisation,” he said. “When you say everyone did it, you dilute the guilt. That empowers politicians who may be involved in vote-buying and delegates who may be involved in vote-selling.”
His comments come after the NDC upheld the results of the Ayawaso East parliamentary primaries despite acknowledging reports of widespread irregularities, clearing the way for Baba Jamal to contest the March 3 by-election.
Dr Tutu-Boahene argued that the decision appeared driven more by the urgency to retain the seat than by the need to protect the party’s integrity and credibility.
“It looks like the party leadership is more worried about winning the by-election and keeping the seat than about the reputational consequences,” he said.
He further questioned the apparent disconnect between the party’s position and ongoing investigations by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), noting that vote-buying remains a potential criminal offence under Ghanaian law.
“If the OSP still believes there is something wrong with vote-buying and vote-selling, then the party must take that into consideration. You cannot act in a way that conflicts with the law,” he cautioned.
The consultant also suggested that allowing a candidate facing allegations to lead the campaign could create credibility challenges, particularly among undecided or “rational” voters.
“In political marketing terms, credibility is everything. Once voters begin to question honesty and trust, you lose confidence. And when you lose credibility, you’re heading for trouble,” he said.
While the NDC has indicated plans to review its constitution to strengthen internal processes for future elections, Dr Tutu-Boahene said the party’s communication on the matter appeared rushed and may have compounded the controversy.
“In situations like this, you don’t rush communication. You take time to analyse the implications before issuing statements,” he added.
He advised the party to focus less on defending contested processes and more on presenting compelling policy messages to voters ahead of the by-election.
“The opposition shouldn’t spend time attacking weaknesses. They should present credible, convincing reasons why voters should choose their candidate,” he said.
Dr Tutu-Boahene concluded that political parties must align internal decisions with the broader national agenda of integrity and institutional accountability.
“It’s about collaboration with the law enforcement agencies, understanding the issues deeply, and protecting the credibility of the party and the presidency,” he said.
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