Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States, Emmanuel Victor Smith, has issued a warning regarding the perils of vote-buying, characterizing this practice as the root of systemic corruption that begins even prior to candidates taking on public office.
His remarks come in the wake of allegations concerning vote-buying during the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary primaries that took place on February 7.
During this event, Baba Jamal faced accusations of distributing 32-inch television sets to voters and boiled eggs to delegates after the voting process had already started. The purported giveaways reportedly incited jostling among some voters as they rushed to obtain the items.
Addressing the matter on Monday, February 9, 2026, Ambassador Smith emphasized that the distribution of money, gifts, or favors during election campaigns should not be misconstrued as acts of generosity, but rather recognized as investments made with the anticipation of future returns—an approach that ultimately fosters corrupt governance.
“When money or gifts are utilized to sway voters, we must identify it for what it truly represents: corruption in its most nascent form. It is neither generosity nor kindness. It is an investment,” he stated.
He elaborated that once candidates who partake in vote-buying attain political office, governance frequently shifts from public service to the recovery of campaign expenses, rewarding financial backers, and seeking personal gain, with the public treasury effectively becoming a reimbursement account.
“Vote-buying does not simply distort elections; it creates corruption post-elections. Combating corruption solely in government contracts while permitting it at the ballot box is a form of self-deception,” Ambassador Smith further remarked.
He called for a national recognition of the reality that accepting inducements undermines accountability, while offering them diminishes integrity.
The ambassador urged both politicians and voters to reject the politics of inducement and instead adopt a politics of conscience to protect Ghana’s democracy and foster honest leadership.
In reference to the Ayawaso East by-election, Ambassador Smith warned that the unrestricted distribution of televisions, motorcycles, or cash to voters should be acknowledged as corruption. He emphasized that law enforcement agencies must take suitable measures when such actions take place.
“Elections should never be auctions,” he reiterated, citing Singapore’s founding Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew.
