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Heady days to the Talensi by-election in the Upper East Region, accusations and counter accusations have started flying between the two main contenders for the seat-New Patriotic Party(NPP) and National Democratic Congress- over who is bidding higher for the votes of the electorates.

As if going by a well thought-out script, the two parties are throwing mud at each other.

According to the NPP’s Youth Organizer, Sammy Awuku, their opponent (NDC) has already resorted to buying voters with bags of cements, fertilizers, and cash worth GH¢1000.

He said although vote buying and other electoral malpractices were synonymous with the NDC, the level at which they are influencing voters in the constituency is unprecedented but was quick to add that NPP as a party is not perturbed, and was optimistic of retaining the Talensi seat.

Mr. Awuku was confident that the NPP had out-strategized the NDC, and that with their mapped out strategies, the seat would again fall for them.

Whilst the NPP is out there explaining to delegates why it was necessary to retain them, the NDC, according to Sammy Awuku, had thronged the constituency with about 16 V8 flashy vehicles, and in a Rambo-style driving spree, blowing up dust, left right centre on the constituents.

“These are people you are begging to vote for you, yet you come here with 16 V8 vehicles and blow dust and expect them to cover their noses and still listen to you.” he added.

But Kofi Adams, the National Youth Organizer for the NDC, believes Sammy Awuku’s claims were just moves to drag the party’s hard earned reputation into the mud.

 In an interview on Asempa fm, In Accra, Mr. Adams noted there was no way the NDC would resort to sharing monies to electorates, considering their pedigree in elections.

“I have been explaining to them that we will not be able to pay them money the way the opposition people are doing because day in, day out, that has been the cry that opponents are doing so well in terms of giving out money,” he noted.

Refuting the claims, he said the allegations by the NPP’s Youth Organizer was not just disgraceful, but also an insult to the good people of the Talensi Constituency, and that even though the NPP was in opposition, they were rather spreading monies to the electorates.

He indicated that elders of the constituency had received GHC 1000 whiles widows and youths received GH¢ 200 respectively, from the NPP.

Mr. Adams further indicated that the NDC was poised to win the Talensi seat as a result of the various developmental projects put up by government in the constituency.

The Talensi seat was declared vacant by Speaker of Parliament, Doe Adjaho after the former Member of Parliament, and Robert Nachinab Doameng Mosore of the NPP was elevated to the status of a paramount chief of the Tongo tradition area.  

Four candidates: Mr. B.T. Baba, 67, a retired Deputy Director General of the Ghana Prisons Service (NDC), the PNC's Dr Michael Wumbego, 43, a lecturer at the School of Allied Sciences and Head of Clinical Skills for the Schools of Allied Health and Medicine of the University for Development Studies (UDS), the PPP's Mr Joseph Toatoba, and  the NPP’s 51-year-old accountant, Thomas Duanab Wuni, are fiercely battling to cling to the seat which was initially held by the NPP come Tuesday, July 7.