The Office of the Attorney General has filed arguments in support of a Supreme Court case seeking the abolition of the delegate system used in internal elections by political parties in Ghana.
The suit was filed by Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, Dr. Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe and Dr. Christine Amoako-Nuamah.
Represented by Oliver Barker-Vormawor, the plaintiffs are asking the Supreme Court to declare the delegate-based electoral systems used by major political parties unconstitutional.
The plaintiffs are advocating for a direct “one member, one vote” system in party primaries, arguing that the current arrangement disenfranchises many ordinary party members.
According to them, the delegate system limits broader participation, promotes vote-buying and gives undue advantage to wealthy candidates.
Defendants in the case include the New Patriotic Party (NPP), National Democratic Congress (NDC) Convention People’s Party (CPP), the Attorney General and the Electoral Commission of Ghana.
In a social media post on Tuesday, May 26, Deputy Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Justice Srem-Sai, described the suit as one of the most significant constitutional cases in the Fourth Republic.
Dr. Srem-Sai said the government believes a ruling in favour of the plaintiffs could strengthen Ghana’s democratic system.
“We believe that the declaration, if made by the Supreme Court, will considerably improve our democracy in many ways. We argued in support of the Plaintiff’s case,” he stated.
