Sources tell JoyNews that investigators from the OSP have arrested and questioned several interested parties as it delves into the corruption allegations.

Professor Kingsley Nyarko was caught on Adom News cameras handing an envelope to two EC officials at the Church of Pentecost Polling Station at Fumesua during Tuesday’s Ejisu by-election.

The Commission has since suspended the two officials as it calls for criminal investigations into their conduct.

The duo, Regina Serwaa, a Ballot Issuer and Presiding Officer, George Sasu, were withdrawn immediately after the incident was captured on live television.

While insisting that his action was in good faith contrary to reports that the money was meant to bribe or influence the officials, many continue to call for his prosecution.

Election Watch Ghana, a civil society organisation, has lodged a petition with the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to investigate Dr Kingsley Nyarko.

However, Governance expert Prof Baffour Agyeman Duah has dismissed calls for the prosecution of the MP over his alleged electoral misconduct.

“Frankly, this is much I do about nothing because the response we are getting already tells you where this is going to go.

“Unless the Electoral Commission has direct rules against politicians and others giving lunch to people, I don’t know what they can do about this,” he explained.

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The incident which was captured on camera, has since Tuesday afternoon when it emerged, been the talk of town, with the Electoral Commission immediately withdrawing the officers involved and handing the matter over to the police for criminal investigation.

In the video, Prof Nyarko is seen engaging in conversations with electoral officers, and at one stage as he moved to another table manned by some of the officers, he fished out a white envelope and offered it to the officers, who were apparently reluctant to take it. Prof Nyarko subsequently dropped the envelope on a table and left.

He has since told Joy FM that the envelope contained money he intended as a favour he was doing the election officials to use for lunch.

He said what he offered them could not be a bribe as he would not have dared to bribe election officials in an open space as happened.

Professor Nyarko asserted that if he had intended to bribe officials, he wouldn’t have done so in a public space.

“If I were to influence them, do you think I will do it in that public space? What I want to put on record is that I did not bribe anybody, I have not influenced anybody to vote or to do anything untoward for my candidate,” he said.

He further argued that individuals were free to interpret the event as they pleased, but his conscience was clear because he couldn’t influence EC officials who were “trained, honest, and disciplined to engage in any untoward actions in a public place.”

Professor Nyarko clarified that despite the widespread circulation of the video, he did not feel bad because he did nothing wrong. He added that he was aware that many individuals would dwell on the incident and spin it to suit their own narratives.

The legislator emphasised that he was a teacher of high repute and that his track record demonstrates his discipline and integrity.

Again, he said he will avail himself for investigations if the need be.

When questioned about his relationship with the EC officials that led to him handing them the envelope, he said, “So if I see you, do I have to know you before I do you a favour? …. So there should not be any relationship before [handing an envelop]. I have not influenced anybody negatively to turn the people in a certain direction.”

Meanwhile, he was optimistic that his candidate, Kwabena Boateng of the New Patriotic Party, would win convincingly.

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According to him, Ejisu is the NPP’s stronghold, noting its history of producing outstanding MPs who also served as exceptional Ministers.

In an interview on JoyNews on Tuesday, April 30, Prof Nyarko stated, “It is a seat that means a lot to us in terms of the political dynamics in the region and the country.”

He expressed the party’s determination to replace their late colleague [Dr John Kumah] with a suitable candidate who can continue his legacy.

“And that person is the one representing the New Patriotic Party, Lawyer Kwabena Boateng and we know the numbers in Parliament aren’t good so we can’t afford to lose the seat.

“So we’re doing everything possible to ensure that we win the seat and honour the memory of our late brother but I don’t think he will be happy in his grave if we lose the seat to any other person,” he said.

Prof Nyarko underscored the challenge posed by their key opponent, Kwabena Owusu Aduomi, a former NPP member and MP, who has a strong presence in the constituency.

He emphasised the seriousness of the campaign, stating, “It’s not a kid’s play so that’s why I’m saying that we’re doing everything possible, we are being diligent, we’re working hard to ensure that we retain the seat.”

Prof Nyarko added that the constituents are willing to vote massively for the NPP candidate, Kwabena Boateng.

Meanwhile, the EC says it has withdrawn two of its officials amid allegations of bribery.

In a press release signed by Samuel Tettey during the ongoing Ejisu by-election, the Commission said its attention has been drawn to a video circulating on social media depicting one of the polling stations.

This comes after Prof Nyarko was caught on camera handing over an envelope suspected to contain cash to some Electoral Commission (EC) officials at a polling centre in the ongoing by-election at Ejisu.

In a viral video trending on social media, Prof Nyarko was seen surreptitiously pulling the white envelope from his pocket and placing it on the table in front of the EC officials.

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“I’m told the Fire Service did their best to douse the flames and you want to encourage them to expedite investigations for us to find out what the actual cause of the fire is and to help us do things differently so it doesn’t occur again.

“I think there should be a system, routine checks to ensure that these things don’t normally happen as they do,” he said on Accra-based Metro TV.

He proposed that the fire service should be resourced so they can work effectively.

“We cannot predict the future we cannot say that will not happen again, but what we can say is that we should make it difficult to prevent a recurrence and whatever interventions we need to put in place.

“I think we should resource the fire service. We need to up our game on that,” he added.

His comment comes on the back of a fire that gutted the Kejetia market at about 4 pm on Wednesday, March 16, 2023.

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It started on the second floor and spread in no time to the third floor due to combustible products like plastic sewing materials, body sprays, and perfumes.

Shops and products worth millions of cedis were burnt into ashes.

Quite a number of people collapsed and no death has been recorded.

Some of the market women who were trapped had to rely on ropes deployed by the Fire Service to escape the fire.

More than five fire engines were sent there but the fire’s smoke blurred their sight making it difficult for them to put out the fire.

Reports also show that the firefighters struggled to quench the fire because of the building’s height.

While the cause of the fire is unknown some eyewitnesses suspect it was an electrical fault.