A seasoned Political Science Lecturer and former Head of the Department at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Dr. Richard Amoako-Baah has down-played the massive victory of Dr.Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia in the opening contest of the NPP Presidential Primaries.
The former head Dr Amoako-Baah, revealed that the victory of Dr. Alhaji Bawumia in the just-ended NPP Super Delegates’ conference was largely hinged on the influence of money and coercion, and not because of his popularity.
The renowned political scientists said the election was skewed to favour the Vice President due to the large amount of cash splashed on the delegates.
Speaking soon after the Super Delegates elections, Dr. Amoako-Baah doubted the popularity of the Veep as painted by the results.
The 66% plus votes of the Super Delegates that endorsed Dr. Alhaji Bawumia, according to the Political Science Lecturer, cannot be seen as a reflection of his popularity in the party but the pure influence of money and incumbency arm twisting.
“A lot of people have been paid, including government appointees, party chairmen and MPs. Is that how it is supposed to be? So the thing was skewed and it doesn’t mean he was the most popular, but he was able to pay the money,” Amoako Baah alleged.
Speaking to Nhyira FM’s Nana Jantuah on Kuro Yi Mu Nsem, Dr Amoako-Baah said statistically, the victory was not normal.
“Ten people were going to the election, and only one person had around 70 percent; statistically, it wasn’t normal. There is something wrong,” he said.
According to the political scientist, the other candidates in the contest were strategic not to pump much money into the super delegates’ conference, looking ahead to the main national exercise on November 4.
“So, those who did not have money had to strategize not to put much money into the first election. So if Bawumia had around 70 percent, it wasn’t because he was popular; he paid money for it,” Dr. Amoako-Baah alleged.
He said one cannot depend on the Super Delegates’ Conference to declare a win for Dr Bawumia ahead of the NPP’s November presidential primaries.
