Supreme Court Orders Political Parties to Allow All Registered Members to Vote in Internal Elections

• The Supreme Court ruled the delegate system used by political parties to elect presidential and parliamentary candidates unconstitutional
• The majority decision ordered all political parties to allow every member in good standing to vote in candidate elections
• The NDC and NPP, which have traditionally relied on delegate conferences, have one year to comply with the court's directive

The Supreme Court has struck down the delegate system long used by political parties to elect their presidential and parliamentary candidates, declaring it unconstitutional in a landmark ruling handed down this week.

In a 5-2 majority decision, the court ordered all political parties to put in place mechanisms that allow every member in good standing to take part in the selection of presidential and parliamentary candidates.

Parties have been given one year from the date of the judgment to comply.

Citi News reported that NPP Director of Legal Affairs Gary Nimako Marfo has questioned who will bear the cost of conducting party primaries after the Supreme Court declared the delegate system unconstitutional.

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Under the delegate system, a select group of representatives cast votes on behalf of the broader party membership during internal elections.

The Supreme Court's ruling effectively brings that arrangement to an end, requiring parties to open up their primary processes to full membership participation.

The decision compels political parties to revise their constitutions and internal electoral guidelines to bring them into line with the court's reading of Ghana's Constitution. Parties will be required to design new electoral frameworks under which all eligible members who meet membership requirements can cast ballots in presidential and parliamentary primaries.

NDC and NPP Face Sweeping Internal Changes

The ruling is expected to have far-reaching consequences for Ghana's two dominant political parties.

Both the National Democratic Congress and the New Patriotic Party have historically depended on delegate conferences to nominate presidential candidates and select parliamentary aspirants.

The judgment is widely seen as a significant shift in how internal party democracy will function in Ghana, broadening the pool of decision-makers beyond a small group of delegates to encompass the full membership of each party.

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The changes will take effect ahead of future general elections, potentially altering the dynamics of candidate selection across the country.

Source: YEN.com.gh