Thomas Ayertey, a member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has called for the abolition of the delegate system in internal political party elections, arguing that it will significantly reduce corruption and promote merit-based leadership.
Speaking on Ebaanosen on Plan B FM with host Ohene Kinnah, Ayertey said the recent Supreme Court ruling on the delegate system should be respected, stressing that decisions of the apex court form part of Ghana’s legal framework and must be complied with.
He noted that while the 1992 Constitution does not explicitly provide for a delegate system, the Supreme Court’s interpretation offers political parties a legal basis to reform their internal electoral processes.
According to Ayertey, both the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) stand to benefit from expanding their electoral colleges. He explained that although discussions on broadening participation in internal elections have existed for years, the court’s ruling now presents an opportunity to implement those reforms.
He argued that the delegate system has become a breeding ground for corruption because a relatively small number of delegates can easily be influenced with money. Wealthy aspirants, he said, often leverage their financial resources to secure delegates’ votes, putting competent but less affluent candidates at a disadvantage.
Ayertey believes that allowing a wider membership base to vote in party primaries would make vote-buying far more difficult and ensure that leadership positions are earned on the basis of competence, vision, and grassroots support rather than financial strength.
He further maintained that the current system deprives many capable individuals of leadership opportunities simply because they cannot match the financial power of richer contenders. Expanding the electoral college, he said, would deepen internal democracy by giving more party members a direct say in the selection of their leaders.
Touching on qualifications for public office, Ayertey observed that Ghana’s Constitution does not prescribe any specific educational qualification for parliamentary candidates beyond the constitutional requirements. However, he argued that the delegate system often enables wealthy but less competent individuals to emerge as candidates because money plays a decisive role in influencing a limited number of delegates.
He concluded that abolishing the delegate system would help curb money politics, reduce corruption in party primaries, and enable political parties to elect competent leaders who genuinely represent the interests of their members.
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