National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, has called on the government to provide financial support for the conduct of political party primaries following the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling requiring political parties to adopt a more inclusive system for electing their presidential and parliamentary candidates.
According to Mr Asiedu Nketiah, state funding through the Electoral Commission (EC) would significantly reduce the financial burden on political parties as they move to comply with the court’s directive.
His comments come in the wake of the Supreme Court’s 5–2 majority decision declaring the delegate system used by political parties to elect their presidential and parliamentary candidates unconstitutional.
The apex court directed all political parties to replace the delegate system within one year with an electoral process that allows all members in good standing to participate in internal primaries.
The ruling is expected to bring significant reforms to the country’s internal party electoral processes by expanding participation in candidate selection.
Mr Asiedu Nketiah argued that while the court’s decision strengthens internal democracy, implementing the new system would come at a substantial financial cost.
He noted that organising nationwide primaries for all eligible party members would become the biggest expense for political parties and should therefore be supported by the state.
“I expect that even though the system is good, since we are being compelled to help citizens exercise their civic and democratic rights, it will serve very well if you ask the state to budget for this exercise so the Electoral Commission can conduct it free of charge. Because that will be your biggest cost line,” he said.
He stressed that adequately resourcing the Electoral Commission to conduct political party primaries at no cost would promote fairness and ensure that all parties can comply with the Supreme Court’s directive without facing overwhelming financial challenges.
Mr Asiedu Nketiah further stated that the proposal is consistent with the government’s broader constitutional reform agenda.
According to him, strengthening the legal and regulatory framework governing political parties would not only improve internal democratic processes but also ensure that only organisations that satisfy the legal requirements are recognised and certified as political parties.
He expressed confidence that state-supported primaries supervised by the Electoral Commission would enhance transparency, credibility and equal participation in Ghana’s democratic process.
The Supreme Court’s ruling is widely expected to reshape the way political parties elect their leaders and parliamentary candidates, with parties now required to review their constitutions and electoral procedures within the one-year timeline set by the court.
, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, has called on the government to provide financial support for the conduct){kind=link}