Programmes Manager of the West Africa Centre for Peace Studies, Godwin Kuowoadan, has renewed calls for a sweeping reform of Ghana’s delegate-based political primary system, describing it as increasingly exclusionary, overly monetised, and structurally tilted against merit-based leadership selection.
Speaking during a panel discussion on Ahotor 92.3 FM’s Yepe Ahunu political programme hosted by Nana Dogbe, Mr. Kuowoadan said the current arrangement has effectively concentrated decision-making power in the hands of a small group of delegates, who often determine who leads political parties regardless of competence, integrity, or leadership vision.
He lamented that the system has created a transactional political environment where aspirants feel compelled to distribute material incentives—including cash, household items, and other gifts such as refrigerators, televisions, rice, and cooking oil—in order to secure delegate support, a practice he described as corrosive to democratic integrity.
According to him, the situation has distorted internal party competition, shifting focus away from ideas and policy competence toward financial capacity, thereby disadvantaging capable but less resourced aspirants.
Mr. Kuowoadan, who referenced previous research he conducted for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) across various districts, noted that some delegates have come to perceive their role as an avenue for personal benefit, expecting inducements in exchange for their votes.
He further argued that the broader party membership has been effectively sidelined, with the majority of supporters excluded from meaningful participation in candidate selection, a development he said weakens internal democracy and undermines public confidence in political institutions.
The governance expert stressed that expanding participation would significantly reduce monetisation and restore fairness, insisting that leadership contests should prioritise competence, commitment, and national interest rather than financial strength.
His comments come at a time when the Supreme Court of Ghana is hearing a landmark constitutional case challenging the legality of the delegate-based system in political party primaries.
The suit has been filed by three senior statespersons—Prof. Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, Dr. Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe, and Dr. Christine Amoako-Nuamah—and is being represented by human rights lawyer Oliver Barker-Vormawor.
The case names the New Patriotic Party (NPP), National Democratic Party (NDC), and Convention People’s Party (CPP), alongside the Attorney-General and the Electoral Commission, as defendants.
At the heart of the petition is the argument that restricting voting to a limited group of delegates violates democratic principles enshrined in the 1992 Constitution. The plaintiffs contend that the system promotes vote-buying, amplifies financial influence, and excludes ordinary party members from decision-making processes, and are therefore seeking a transition to a “one member, one vote” framework.
In recent proceedings, the Attorney-General’s office has filed a statement supporting the plaintiffs’ position, arguing that such a reform would deepen internal party democracy. The Supreme Court has also directed the political parties involved to formally respond as deliberations continue.
Story by Freedom Etsey Lavoe/Ahotoronline.com