Member of Parliament for New Juaben South, Michael Okyere Baafi, has issued a stark warning about the future of his political career, declaring he will not contest in future elections if the increasing monetisation of Ghana’s electoral process is not addressed.
Following the Akwatia by-election held on September 2, 2025, Okyere Baafi voiced his deep concern over the growing practice of vote buying, which he described as a grave threat to Ghana’s democracy. He specifically accused the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) of influencing voters by distributing cash and items such as hair dryers and spraying machines. According to the MP, individuals received amounts ranging from GH₵500 to GH₵1,000 on polling day.
“If this is how our election is going to be, then I will not contest as MP in the next election,” Okyere Baafi declared during an interview with AsaasePa on Tuesday, September 2.
Okyere Baafi also took the opportunity to apologise for a previous statement in which he had vowed to resign if his party, the New Patriotic Party (NPP), lost the Akwatia by-election. He explained that his comment was intended to motivate his campaign team but admitted he had “gone a step too far.”
“I apologise to Ghanaians for that. Looking at the work we had done, there was no way we could have lost the election,” he said, while reiterating that the widespread vote buying ultimately shaped the outcome.
The MP’s candid remarks have sparked renewed debate over electoral integrity and the urgent need for reforms to safeguard Ghana’s democracy.
Source: Apexnewsgh.com
