The Supreme Court of Ghana ruled against the delegate system used by political parties to elect candidates, directing parties to adopt broader internal voting mechanisms that align with the democratic principles of the 1992 Constitution.
Delivering the judgment in the case of Prof Frimpong-Boateng & 2 Others v NPP & 4 Others last week, Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie addressed the long-standing debate over monetisation in internal party elections, noting that while expanding the voting base will not completely eradicate corruption, it remains a necessary step forward for the country’s democratic maturity.
“True, opening party primaries to every party member is no guarantee that money politics will disappear,” Chief Justice Baffoe-Bonnie stated.
“Corruption is remarkably adaptable. It often changes its form rather than vanish altogether. Yet constitutional adjudication rarely offers perfect solutions. The Court is often required to choose the course that best promotes constitutional values in imperfect circumstances.”
The apex court observed that the practice of restricting voting rights to a select group of delegates creates an environment prone to inducement and vote-buying during primary elections.
“Concentrating decisive electoral power in a relatively small body of delegates inevitably increases the value of each delegate’s vote,” the Chief Justice noted. “It creates a smaller market, a more identifiable electorate and, therefore, a more attractive environment for targeted inducements.
A broader electorate may increase campaign costs, but it also disperses political power among thousands of ordinary members, making it considerably more difficult for electoral outcomes to be shaped by a relatively small number of transactions.”
Emphasising the constitutional duty of political parties operating within Ghana, the Court concluded that political organisations must structure their leadership selection around the foundational principles set out in the Constitution.
“For that reason, this Court may legitimately conclude that, at this stage of Ghana’s democratic development, fidelity to the Constitution requires political parties to embrace the model of democracy that the Constitution itself consistently prefers for the purpose of constituting political authority,” CJ Baffoe-Bonnie added.
The decision is expected to prompt significant constitutional and operational reorganisations within political parties across the country as executive committees prepare to align their internal electoral regulations with the Supreme Court’s directives ahead of future primaries.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
