Samuel Aborbi welcomes Supreme Court ruling abolishing delegate system

A member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Kpone Katamanso Constituency, Samuel Aborbi, has welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision to abolish the delegate system used by political parties to elect their presidential and parliamentary candidates, describing it as a major step toward strengthening Ghana’s democracy.

Speaking on Nkosuo Nsem on Plan B FM, hosted by Kofi Sekyi, Mr. Aborbi said the ruling would help reduce corruption and the influence of money in internal party elections by making it more difficult for aspirants to bribe or manipulate a limited number of delegates.

According to him, expanding voting rights to all members in good standing would promote fairness and ensure that candidates emerge through a more transparent and democratic process.

However, he noted that the new system would also place a significant financial burden on political parties.

“If every member with a valid party card is expected to vote, political parties will need substantial resources to organise such elections. The question is: where will the parties get the money to fund the process for all members?” he asked.

Despite the financial implications, Mr. Aborbi maintained that the ruling is a positive development for Ghana’s democratic system.

“It is a good decision. It will make it much more difficult for aspirants to influence or bribe the electorate because they will now have to appeal to the broader party membership rather than a small group of delegates,” he said.

His comments come after the Supreme Court, in a 5–2 majority decision, declared the delegate system unconstitutional and ordered all political parties to adopt a more inclusive voting process within one year.

The court directed political parties to introduce measures that will allow every member in good standing to participate in the election of presidential and parliamentary candidates. The ruling effectively ends the long-standing delegate system, under which only selected delegates voted on behalf of the wider party membership.

The decision is expected to compel political parties to amend their constitutions and electoral guidelines to comply with the court’s interpretation of the Constitution, a move that could significantly reshape internal party democracy in Ghana.