President John Dramani Mahama has ordered the immediate recall of Ghana’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mohammed Baba Jamal Ahmed, following allegations of voter inducement during the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary primaries, the presidency has confirmed.
Baba Jamal, a former deputy minister and a serving political appointee, was a candidate in Saturday’s NDC primaries in the Ayawaso East constituency, where claims of vote-buying have surfaced.
Decisive action
In a statement issued by the Presidency, Mahama said although similar allegations were made against other candidates who contested the primaries, Baba Jamal was the only serving public officer among them, making his continued stay in office untenable.
“The President considers it necessary to act decisively to preserve the integrity of public office and to avoid any perception of impropriety,” the statement said.
The decision, according to the Presidency, is without prejudice to ongoing internal party processes, after the NDC’s General Secretary announced that the party had begun its own investigations into the allegations.
Mahama directed the Minister for Foreign Affairs to take the necessary administrative and diplomatic steps to give effect to the recall, which takes immediate effect.
TV gifts not inducement
Baba Jamal has not publicly responded to the decision.
He has come under scrutiny after his campaign reportedly distributed 32-inch television sets and food items to delegates who participated in the election
The former lawmaker defended the gesture, telling journalists that the items were “gifts” and should not influence delegates’ votes.
“Sharing the TVs is only a gift, but allowing that gift to influence your votes is what is wrong,” he said.
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