The government has formally backed a Supreme Court case seeking to end Ghana’s delegate system, arguing that all registered party members in good standing should be allowed to vote in internal primaries.
Deputy Attorney General Justice Srem-Sai said the state filed its legal arguments on Monday in support of the plaintiffs in the Anti-delegate System [ADS] case.
He called it “one of the most impactful constitutional law cases in the 4th Republic.”
The suit was brought by Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, Dr. Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe, and Dr. Christine Amoako-Nuamah.
They are represented by Barker-Vormawor and Associates.
“Yesterday, we filed our argument in what, I think, is one of the most impactful constitutional law cases in the 4th Republic – the Anti-delegate System (ADS) case,” Srem-Sai posted on X.
At issue is whether restricting primary voting to a limited delegate corps violates constitutional guarantees of political participation.
The plaintiffs want the Supreme Court to declare that all registered members in good standing of a political party are entitled to vote in the party’s primaries.
“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,” Srem-Sai added.
For decades, both the NDC and NPP have used a delegate system to select national executives, flagbearers, and parliamentary candidates. Critics say the model entrenches elitism, enables vote-buying, and weakens grassroots participation.
Defenders argue it offers administrative efficiency and reduces the logistical burden of mass internal elections.
Pressure for reform has been building. Ahead of its last internal contests, the NPP expanded its electoral college, a move party officials said was meant to broaden grassroots involvement.
The Supreme Court’s ruling will determine whether the current delegate-only structure aligns with Ghana’s constitutional framework for democratic governance.
