Bawumia, Agyapong spent over GHC142 million on transport allowance alone for delegates

The above-stated figure is based on a simple calculation of the number of delegates who participated in the election, multiplied by the amount the two top candidates allegedly distributed to each delegate.

Videos emerged online which show some delegates alleging that Agyapong gave them GHC300 while Vice President Bawumia gave GHC400 as transportation allowances. This means that each delegate got GHC700 from both candidates on the day of the election to transport them from their homes to the polling stations to cast their votes. If that is multiplied by a total of 203439 delegates who participated in the elections, the result is GHC 142,407,300.

These monies are completely separate from those that were allegedly shared to the delegates prior to the election day, in addition to cars and motorcycles among other gifts, all in a bid to coerce the delegates to vote for the candidates.

Sir Collins, a representative from the New Patriotic Party (NPP), expressed his extreme dissatisfaction and displeasure with Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and his team due to the purported promise of a 'paltry' GH¢400 to the delegates.

Collins expressed his severe displeasure in an interview with GHOne TV, calling it an insult that Dr Bawumia, who hopes to be the party's flagbearer, gave delegates a mere GH¢400 each. He asserted that it didn’t make sense that Kennedy Agyapong, a rival candidate with supposedly less backing from party members and government appointees, offered GH¢300, while Bawumia, with all that he had at his disposal, could not give much higher.

These developments are not new in Ghanaian politics – the country’s politics has been so monetised that the highest bidder becomes the winner regardless of whether the candidate is fit for the position he or she is vying for or not.

Analysts have raised concerns about the development as it results in putting square pegs in round holes.