Mustapha Gbande, Deputy General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), has called on the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to shift its focus from investigating suspected vote-buying individuals to examining the source of funds used by public officials during elections. Gbande made this plea following the OSP’s recent pursuit of six individuals allegedly involved in vote-buying during the New Patriotic Party (NPP) primaries in orphan constituencies.

Speaking on JoyNews’ PM Express, Gbande expressed the opinion that delegates receiving money from candidates is not the core issue. Instead, he stressed the importance of scrutinizing public officials who distribute funds during elections to ascertain whether the money is sourced from the national treasury or other channels. Gbande urged the OSP to investigate public servants who distribute significant sums during party primaries, such as Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia.

Gbande defended the practice of delegates receiving funds during primaries, considering it a form of compensation for their dedication to the party. He argued that party members receive motivation and support from candidates during infrequent party congresses and primaries, dismissing the idea of criminalizing them for receiving gifts from politicians.

Former Auditor-General Daniel Domelevo, another guest on the show, called for a review of the law to enable the Special Prosecutor to prosecute individuals involved in vote-buying. Domelevo rejected politicians’ claims that such funds were for transportation, asserting that these were attempts to influence and buy votes, characterizing the electoral process as more of an auction than a genuine election.