Bribery is the corrupt solicitation, giving, payment, or acceptance of a private favour in exchange for official action. The purpose of a bribe is to influence the actions of the recipient, a person in charge of an official duty, to act contrary to their duty and the known rules of fairness, truthfulness, honesty, and integrity.
Giving money illegally or unethically to influence a person’s behaviour is a form of bribery. However, gifts of money or other items of value that are available to everyone on an equivalent basis, and not for dishonest purposes, are not bribery. Also, remember that offering a discount or a refund to all purchasers of a product is a rebate and not bribery.
Bribery in political elections in Ghana is a well-documented issue, characterised by vote-buying, particularly during parliamentary primaries and by-elections, often involving the distribution of money, gifts, and favours to delegates and voters.
This unregulated practice, which has been described by political pundits as “monetary inducement,” is seen as a destructive force that compromises the integrity of the electoral process, leading people to sell their birthright for a single meal.
Ayawaso East Constituency Primaries case of bribery (February 2026)
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) condemned widespread bribery and vote-buying allegations during its parliamentary primaries at Ayawaso East Constituency in Nima, in the Greater Accra Region, with reports of delegates allegedly receiving significant cash payments and some items. Eventually, H.E. Baba Jamal (Ghana High Commissioner to Nigeria) emerged as the victor to contest for the much-anticipated by-election on the 4th of March, 2026.
Ejisu By-Election (May 2024):
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Kwadaso, Dr Kingsley Nyarko, was filmed distributing envelopes containing money to Electoral Commission (EC) staff at a polling station. The incident led to the withdrawal of the staff and an investigation by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).
Undeniably, the internal party primaries of both major parties in Ghana, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC), have faced intense scrutiny regarding the high cost of bribery within their internal delegate selection processes. The recent NPP presidential primary that elected Dr Mahamudu Bawumia as its flag bearer for the 2028 general elections is a vivid reference point.
The system of using delegates to select parliamentary candidates is frequently cited as a breeding ground for open corruption. While general elections are competitive, the highest, most direct forms of bribery are reported during internal party primaries, where candidates pay delegates to secure nomination. Although the Criminal Offences Act (Act 29) addresses corruption, enforcement is often seen as inconsistent, with calls for harsher penalties and the classification of bribery as a felony.
Critics of this phenomenon argue that these practices undermine democratic consolidation, create a “winner-takes-all” mindset or mentality, and allow wealthy individuals to dominate politics, regardless of their qualification, ability, capability, or popularity.
Bribery during elections sets the stage for corruption in office, with officials often trying to recoup the money spent on campaigning. This creates a vicious cycle where money in politics leads to poor accountability, inefficiency, as well as weak checks and balances.
Bribery in politics occurs when an individual or corporation engages in an act of offering gifts, cash, contributions to political parties, or other promises of value to a political official, to help gain a business advantage or special treatment. Bribery generally benefits the briber, in that it may allow them to secure a government contract, avoid regulation, or conduct business outside the proper business parameters.
This unacceptable social canker creates an unfair advantage over other business or market participants who must face normal bidding processes, competitive pressures, and legal requirements, while those who do the bribing get to circumvent these factors to grow their business operations and profits.
It’s important to note that bribery is often subtle and difficult to detect. Thus, whistle-blowers are critical to exposing such cases.
Bribery in political elections is a form of electoral corruption defined as the illegal or unethical offering, promising, giving, or receiving of money, goods, services, or other valuable inducements to influence the outcome of an election. It acts as an illegal interference in the democratic process, either by increasing a candidate’s vote share, depressing votes of a rival, or corrupting the administration of the election itself.
Electoral bribery takes many forms, often depending on the social and institutional environment and framework.
The most common form of vote-buying is where candidates or their agents offer immediate, tangible goods, cash, food, clothing, or services directly to voters in exchange for a vote. In some cases, candidates purchase or hold on to voter identification cards with a promise to reward the voter later, providing food, drink, or entertainment to influence voting behaviour, and bribing an opposing candidate to withdraw from the electoral contest to enhance chances of winning.
In many communities, the need for immediate tangible support makes voters susceptible to accepting bribes to feed their families, pay rent, or pay fees. When campaigns become extremely expensive, they turn into a “political business venture” where candidates invest money to secure a position, expecting to recoup their investment through subsequent corruption in office.
A lack of strict campaign finance laws and poor enforcement of election laws creates an environment where bribery can flourish. Widespread bribery damages the relationship between citizens and their government, leading to disengagement. Candidates who buy votes often use their position to recoup costs, leading to corruption in government contracts and reduced public services.
It is now clear from all indicators that the winner is not necessarily the most qualified, but the one with the most funding or financial muscle, undermining the “real will” of the voters.
In most countries, bribery is a serious crime that can result in prison sentences, heavy fines, and a ban on holding public office for several years. The primary legal device used to prevent vote-buying is the secret ballot, as it makes it difficult for a briber to verify that the voter actually cast their vote as promised. Legal mechanisms exist to challenge election results if bribery is proven, which can lead to the voiding of election results.
2024 trends of electoral corruption remain a significant issue globally, even in established democracies. In 2024, a number of election bribes were recorded, including cash, drugs, and alcohol, which were seized by authorities in countries such as India. Furthermore, in 2024–2025, the use of money in political party primaries, such as in Uganda, has been highlighted as a fundamental factor distorting democratic processes.
Politics is a game of uncertainty.
By: Mohammed Amin Lamptey (Expert in Political Communication/Marketing)
