OSP announces investigation of NPP presidential and NDC parliamentary primaries over vote buying
The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has announced that it has started investigation into the New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential primaries conducted on January 31, 2026, adding that it initiated real-time investigation of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary primaries at the Ayawaso East constituency over vote buying, vote selling, and sources of funding of the alleged corrupt acts.
In a statement issued Sunday February 8, 2026, the OSP says during the conduct of the NDC parliamentary primaries at the Ayawaso East constituency on February 7, 2026, one of the candidates – Mohammed Baba Jamal Ahmed – allegedly abetted thugs to physically attack an officer of the OSP, who was serving an investigative directive on him in relation to vote buying and vote selling.
“Consequently, the OSP has opened further investigation into the assault of an authorised officer of the OSP in the performance of his functions in relation to Mohammed Baba Jamal Ahmed,” it said.
The OSP further reminded the public that the law prohibits corrupt acts in relation to public elections. It is a serious offence to engage in vote buying, vote selling, intimidation, violence in relation to elections.
Meanwhile, both the government and the NDC have swiftly reacted to the allegations of vote buying.
The presidency has recalled Jamal from his position as the country’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, the NDC has condemned the allegations of vote buying.
In a statement from the presidency the president immediately recalled Jamal saying the decision follows allegations of vote buying in the Ayawaso East constituency primaries.
The president’s directive recalling Jamal pointed to the allegations of vote-buying, which it said were made against multiple candidates who contested the primaries, but the action against Jamal was because he was the only serving public officer among them.
The NDC said it vehemently condemns the allegations of vote buying in no uncertain terms because they represent an affront to the values and principles of the party and the reset agenda the party is championing.
“The party is immediately instituting a full-scale investigation into this matter and will take a swift action against any candidate found culpable. The party also wishes to make it clear that in the future, more drastic sanctions would be taken including possibly cancelling elections, when such incidents come to the attention of the party,” the statement said.
By Emmanuel K Dogbevi