Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mustapha Gbande, has urged the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to shift its focus from investigating individuals suspected of vote-buying to probing the source of funds used by public officials during elections.

The call comes after the OSP's pursuit of six individuals allegedly involved in vote-buying during the New Patriotic Party (NPP) primaries.

Mr Gbande, speaking on JoyNews' PM Express, expressed the opinion that delegates receiving money from candidates is not the primary issue.

Instead, he emphasized the importance of investigating public officials who distribute funds during elections to determine whether the money comes from the national purse or other sources.

“We should ask people who are serving the public, whether or not your salary or your allowances are enough to afford you that kind of money that you share.

“So, instead of the OSP, dancing around the fire and going after individuals who are excited because they’ve received money from an aspirant, the OSP should go after the giver who is a public servant,” he said on Tuesday.

Mustapha Gbande defended the practice of party delegates receiving funds during primaries, describing it as a form of compensation for their dedication to the party.

Highlighting the hard work of party delegates, Gbande argued that during infrequent party congresses and primaries, party members receive motivation and support from candidates.

"We cannot criminalise them for receiving gifts from politicians, as it is a normal part of the political process. Once the giver is a public officer, an appointee of government, then he can be subjected to some level of scrutiny. But if a private individual says, ‘I have $1 million and I want to share’, I don’t see anything wrong with it,” he added.

Former Auditor-General Daniel Domelevo, participating in the discussion, advocated for a review of the law to enable the Special Prosecutor to prosecute individuals involved in vote-buying activities. Domelevo rejected politicians' claims that such funds were for transportation, asserting that these were attempts to influence and purchase votes.