The Supreme Court has declared the delegate system used by political parties to elect presidential and parliamentary candidates unconstitutional, directing parties to adopt a more inclusive voting system within one year.
In a 5-2 majority decision, the court ordered political parties to put in place mechanisms that will allow all members in good standing to participate in the election of presidential and parliamentary candidates.
The ruling effectively ends the long-standing practice where only selected delegates voted on behalf of the wider party membership to choose candidates for general elections.
The court gave political parties one year from the date of the judgment to comply with the directive.
The decision is expected to require parties to amend relevant provisions in their constitutions and electoral guidelines to align with the court’s interpretation of the 1992 Constitution.
The ruling could significantly transform Ghana’s internal party democracy by widening participation in the selection of candidates ahead of future elections.
Political parties will now be required to develop new electoral frameworks that allow all eligible members who meet membership requirements to vote during presidential and parliamentary primaries.
The decision is expected to have major implications for the country’s major political parties, including the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP), which have traditionally relied on delegate conferences to elect presidential candidates and parliamentary nominees.
READ ALSO:
‘Don’t pardon Wontumi’ – NDC’s James Agbey warns Mahama of grassroots…
