Vote-buying fuels corruption, not generosity — Ambassador Smith

Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States, Emmanuel Victor Smith, has cautioned against vote-buying, warning that the practice lays the foundation for corruption long before elected officials assume office.

His comments follow allegations of vote-buying during the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary primaries held on February 7, 2026, in Ayawaso East, where Baba Jamal was accused of distributing 32-inch television sets and boiled eggs to delegates while voting was underway. The alleged giveaways reportedly led to jostling among some voters seeking to receive the items.

Speaking on Monday, February 9, 2026, Ambassador Smith stressed that the use of money, gifts, or favours to influence voters should not be confused with generosity, but recognised as a calculated investment made with expectations of future returns—an approach that ultimately breeds corrupt governance.

“When money or gifts are used to influence voters, we must call it what it truly is: corruption in its earliest form. It is not generosity. It is not kindness. It is an investment,” he said.

According to him, candidates who rely on inducements to win elections often shift their focus in office from public service to recouping campaign expenses, rewarding financiers, and pursuing personal gain, with the public purse effectively becoming a reimbursement account.

“Vote-buying does not merely distort elections; it manufactures corruption after elections. Fighting corruption only in government contracts while tolerating it at the ballot box is self-deception,” Ambassador Smith added.

He urged Ghanaians to appreciate that accepting inducements weakens accountability, while offering them erodes integrity, calling on both politicians and voters to reject inducement-based politics.

Referencing developments surrounding the Ayawaso East contest, the ambassador warned that the open distribution of items such as televisions, motorcycles, or cash to voters must be recognised as corruption, and insisted that law enforcement agencies should act decisively when such incidents occur.

“Elections should never be auctions,” he said, quoting Singapore’s founding Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew, as he called for a politics of conscience to safeguard Ghana’s democracy and promote ethical leadership.