Technical advisor to the Vice President, Dr Tia Abdul-Kabiru Mahama, has alleged that some aspirants who contested for the flagbearership of the party’s super delegates conference elections tried to influence some delegates with dollars.
According to him, claims of vote-buying alluded to the Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, are unfounded.
Dr Mahama stated that he is actually quite surprised that people who were initially hesitant in supporting Dr Bawumia and were citing reasons that to run a presidential campaign, he would need money, of which Dr Bawumia doesn’t have the resources, are now making claims he engaged in the act.
“In fact, we have even had reports of people defying the domestic laws and paying people in dollars… Other candidates spent dollars just to ensure that they shore up their votes. It is for those people to come and say how much was involved – we have evidence… But the people were resolute, they were never influenced by this.
“I am [aware] members of other campaign teams, campaign teams of our adversaries defied domestic laws and even tried to influence delegates with dollars. I’m exercising caution because those people until they confirm that we really used money, it is going to be an allegation we would have had…”
Dr Tia Abdul-Kabiru Mahama
Dr Mahama revealed that the attempt at influencing people with money is one thing, and also people being influenced in another. To this, he expressed satisfaction over delegates attitude in not being influenced by the money being splurged on them by some aspirants.
Dr Bawumia’s performance at super delegates conference
Commenting on Vice President, Dr Bawumia’s astounding win of 68.15% during the conference, Dr Mahama stated that the campaign team is confident of victory come the November 4 election. He noted that his conviction is born out of the fact that never in the “history of the party has a candidate led, either in a special delegates conference and doesn’t make it to the finals”.
“For the first time, no presidential candidate of the NPP in his first attempt of the primaries or congress has garnered more votes than Dr Mahamudu Bawumia as the Vice President…”
Dr Tia Abdul-Kabiru Mahama
Furthermore, Dr Mahama revealed that the win by Dr Bawumia wasn’t predicate on his position as the Vice President and also the party appointees’ affiliation to the President either. He insisted that Dr Bawumia made quite an impression in terms of his performance at the super delegates conference based on his merits as an individual.
“If there’s any advantage he is getting, it is how he has carried himself in government, that makes people to believe that he is the best person to lead us into the future of the party. So, any advantage being peddled around is inherent in the nature, character and conduct of Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, and his competence that the people have so assessed, believing that he is the best person to lead us.”
Dr Tia Abdul-Kabiru Mahama
Justifying why some 200,000 people will vote for Dr Bawumia on November 4, especially when he is part of the government said to be responsible for the economic woes of the country, Dr Mahama highlighted that Dr Bawumia has never run away from the economic challenges of the country.
He explained that there’s never been a single person who has been bold enough, and without fear of the implication of what it means for his candidature, defend the party’s record like Dr Bawumia has.
“He’s gone round the whole country, defending the party’s record and if there’s anything this campaign is going to be based on, it’s on the NPP records. It’s one of the cardinal significant determinants and if there’s no person among them who can defend the record, you have no business being our candidate.”
Dr Tia Abdul-Kabiru Mahama
