By Nathaniel Nartey
The Greater Accra Regional Secretary of the NPP, Daniel Odarlai Parker France says the phenomenon where politicians give money and other items to delegates during electoral activities should not be seen as vote buying.
This is because it is acceptable in the Ghanaian culture to send gifts to people when one visits.
Mr. Odarlai Parker justified his claim from the old adage that one does not go to a Chiefs’ Palace with an empty hand.
Speaking to GBC News ahead of the NPP Annual Delegates Conference in Kumasi this weekend, he said he sees nothing wrong with giving money and gifts to delegates and other members of his Party if they need it.
“When you go to the Chief’s Palace, you don’t go with empty hands, you go with …….and that is what usually happens in our politics so when people talk about vote buying, I don’t know how they come by it. If someone gives you money to vote for them, you go into the voting booth and decide where you want to cast your vote. For me, there is nothing like buying votes. I will be going to Kumasi with my Constituency Executives to have a Conference and I am not going to share money but per my lifestyle, I am kind so if I meet my people and they ask, I will give”.
Mr. Odarlai Parker who is vying for another term in office as Greater Accra Regional Secretary of the Party said he prefers to be challenged rather than going unopposed. He said the competition from others will afford him the chance to learn from his competitors and improve on the Party’s chances of breaking the eight-year cycle.
” When you go unopposed it doesn’t make it competitive, there should be people who want to contest me because they may have ideas and when I beat them, I will take their ideas to add to mine and ensure that victory will be for the NPP in 2024. But, to beat me, it will be very difficult for anyone to do that. In 4 years of being in office, I have been able to relate to the people and do what is expected of me as Regional Secretary”.
Mr. Odarlai Parker gave insight into some issues to be discussed at the Conference this weekend.
”The party is looking at us having the Conference every 4 years instead of every year for the Annual Conference that we have been having because the cost involved is high. The issue of also changing our Constitution all the time when proposals are made is also worrying. These are part of proposals tabled for discussion”, he stated.
