Ras Mubarak, Vicky Hammah, others were ‘not prepared’ – Otokunor

Deputy General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Boamah Otokunor, is convinced defeated parliamentary aspirants complaining of machinations in the just ended primaries ‘were not prepared’.

According to him, while it is painful losing an election, it is a fact that when one neglects his or her constituents, “they will vote against you”.

‘Monecracy’ is the system of politics were aspirants spread large amount of resources to gain undue advantage over their competitors. The practice often favours the highest bidders but not always the case.

Background

Two candidates in the just ended primaries of the NDC; Ras Mubarak and Victoria Hammah are attributing their defeat to ‘moneycracy’.

While Member of Parliament for Kumbungu constituency, Ras Mubarak, is reported to have asked the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) to investigate the profligate spending done in the party primary in the area; Victoria Lakshmi Hammah, a former Deputy Communications minister in the erstwhile John Mahama administration, said she lost because she refused to bribe delegates.

But speaking in an interview on Utv News@10pm, the NDC Deputy General Secretary pooh-poohed those claims and pointed out that to be guaranteed victory in any elections, depends on the quality of your performance, adding that it was important the NDC selected marketable candidates as well to represent the party.

“The issue with Ras Mubarak is; in an election, a lot of things contribute to one’s victory. You can do your work in parliament excellently, but if you neglect your constituents, they will vote against you. . . When you lose an election, it is difficult but I will urge him to take things easy. I have a problem if he claims monies were shared; we didn’t have any report to that effect . . . Anyone who will attribute his or her defeat to any machination, that person was not prepared for the election . . . your victory will be based on your works. . . the caliber of candidates elected during the weekend’s primaries is top-quality; candidates who can perform and are also marketable. . . our vision is to secure victory in the 2020 general elections so if unmarketable candidates are selected, it will definitely not inure to our benefit,” Otokunor said.

Sour Grapes?

The Kumbungu MP believes businessman Hamza Abdul Aziz allegedly pumped monies into the campaign of his main contender and the eventual winner of last Saturday’s primaries, Dr. Hamza Adams, a lecturer at the University of Development Studies.

According to him, he has no problem with his contender whom he has congratulated personally and assured him of his support come 2020.

However, available information to him indicates that the said sponsor of his contender’s campaign has been involved in some money laundering issues.

To him, the wanton display of cash suggests there was vote-buying which culminated in his defeat, thus his decision to report to the BNI to look into it.