Office of Special Prosecutor launches investigation into vote-buying in NPP,NDC primaries

The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has initiated formal investigations into alleged electoral corruption surrounding recent internal elections of the country’s two major political parties.

In a public notice issued today, the anti-corruption agency confirmed it is probing the New Patriotic Party’s presidential primaries, held on January 31, 2026, and the National Democratic Congress’s parliamentary primary for the Ayawaso East constituency, which took place on February 7, 2026.

The investigations will specifically focus on allegations of vote buying, vote selling, and the sources of funding for these alleged corrupt acts.

“The investigations focus on allegations of vote buying, vote selling, and the sources of funding of the alleged corrupt acts,” the OSP stated.

The OSP also revealed that it deployed officers to monitor the NDC’s Ayawaso East primary in real-time following reports of malpractice. According to the office, the monitoring operation was met with resistance.

The statement alleges that during the exercise, NDC parliamentary candidate Mohammed Baba Jamal Ahmed abetted individuals who attacked an OSP officer who was on duty monitoring suspected vote trading. As a result, the OSP has opened an additional line of inquiry into the alleged assault on its officer.

The agency used the announcement to remind the public that electoral corruption is a criminal offence in Ghana. It warned that acts such as vote buying, selling, intimidation, and violence directly undermine the integrity of democratic processes.

The OSP affirmed its commitment to pursuing all credible allegations and vowed to take appropriate legal action where sufficient evidence is found.

This move signals a heightened scrutiny by the anti-graft body on the funding and conduct of internal party elections, which have often been marred by accusations of financial inducement.