News:
August 12, 2026
In the wake of the Supreme Court’s ruling declaring Ghana’s political party delegate system unconstitutional, Ho West Member of Parliament Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah has described the decision as a pivotal moment for accountability, noting that he anticipated the outcome.
The MP, however, believes that a review petition is unlikely to succeed given the court’s decisive 5-2 majority.
Mr. Bedzrah urged Ghanaians to accept the ruling, pointing out that Ghana’s current model is an outlier compared to global practices.
“Other countries do not restrict their primaries to delegates like we do. Instead, they allow all registered members within constituencies to vote before national elections,” he explained.
“Our system is limited to the party faithful, so we should work by it. If you do not have what it takes to be voted for, that is when you will be afraid. It is a wake-up call for all politicians to work for the good of the people,” he remarked.
Reflecting on his party’s history, the MP noted that the NDC allowed all paid-up, responsible members to vote in 2015. He stated that this move was designed to open democratic frontiers, ensuring the process was not restricted to a select few delegates.
“It is a way of deepening our party democracy and eradicating some level of corruption during our electoral processes,” he said.
Mr. Bedzrah further advocated for the ruling’s application to be extended beyond parliamentary elections.
“I hope this is not limited to the election of MPs. It should be broadened to constituency, regional, and national party office holders. They should all go through the process of elections by paid-up party members,” he added.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com