Tony Aidoo calls for annulment of Ayawaso East NDC Primaries
10th February 2026
Former Ghanaian Ambassador to the Netherlands, Dr Tony Aidoo, has called on the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to take drastic action by cancelling the Ayawaso East parliamentary primary held on Saturday, February 7, 2026, following what he describes as pervasive vote-buying and inducement.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show, Dr Aidoo argued that the controversy surrounding the primary exposes a deep-seated crisis within the party’s internal democratic processes and requires firm, uncompromising remedies.
“I support cancelling the election outright,” he declared. “Those who engaged in these acts should not just be barred from re-contesting.
They should be barred from holding public office altogether. And if those who accepted the inducements can be identified, they too should be expelled from the party.”
The outspoken former diplomat’s remarks come amid sustained public outrage over allegations that delegates were given items such as 32-inch television sets, boiled eggs and other incentives during the contest that ultimately produced Mohammed Baba Jamal Ahmed as the NDC’s candidate for the upcoming Ayawaso East by-election.
The by-election was necessitated by the death of the sitting Member of Parliament, Mahama Naser Toure.
Civil society organisations, including Election Watch Ghana and Transparency International Ghana, have joined the chorus of criticism, warning that such practices pose a serious threat to democratic credibility and could weaken public trust in political institutions.
Pressure has also mounted internally, with the NDC Majority Caucus in Parliament publicly calling for the annulment of the primary and the imposition of sanctions on any aspirants found culpable.
Dr Aidoo dismissed suggestions that vote-buying could simply be curtailed with mild corrective measures, insisting the practice has become deeply entrenched.
Using a vivid metaphor, he said the problem has gone far beyond early warning signs. “You don’t nip this in the bud anymore. It has already taken root. It has grown and flowered,” he stressed.
Baba Jamal has rejected claims of inducement, maintaining that he was unaware of any distribution of televisions until after the election and insisting his victory reflected the genuine will of delegates. He has pledged full cooperation with the party’s investigative process.
The NDC has since constituted a three-member committee chaired by veteran politician and former minister Kofi Totobi Quakyi to probe the allegations.
The committee is expected to present its findings on February 10, 2026, a report that could shape the party’s immediate and long-term response to the crisis.
Separately, the Office of the Special Prosecutor has also opened investigations into the alleged vote-buying, alongside similar claims arising from other party primaries, emphasising that its actions will be guided strictly by evidence and the law.
As scrutiny intensifies, the Ayawaso East primary has become a defining test of the NDC’s commitment to internal accountability and ethical political conduct.