The Founder and Leader of the All People’s Congress (APC), Dr. Alhaji Hassan Ayariga, has welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision declaring the delegate system used by political parties to elect presidential and parliamentary candidates unconstitutional, describing it as a significant opportunity to strengthen internal party democracy.
However, Dr. Ayariga has cautioned that the success of the ruling will depend largely on how political parties implement the decision, warning that without proper safeguards, the move could create new challenges for Ghana’s political system.
In a statement issued after the Supreme Court’s ruling on Wednesday, July 29, Dr. Ayariga said allowing all party members in good standing to participate in internal elections could give ordinary members a stronger voice in deciding who represents political parties.
He explained that the previous delegate system placed significant power in the hands of a limited number of individuals, sometimes allowing candidates to focus on winning the support of party insiders rather than engaging the wider membership.
According to the APC leader, a broader voting system could improve transparency, increase members’ sense of ownership and enhance the legitimacy of candidates chosen to contest national elections.
The Supreme Court, in a 5–2 majority decision, ruled that the delegate system was unconstitutional and directed political parties to adopt a new system within one year that allows all eligible party members to vote in internal primaries.
Dr. Ayariga said the decision could mark a major shift in Ghana’s political landscape by moving power closer to ordinary party members.
He noted, however, that expanding participation would not automatically eliminate money politics. Instead, he warned that political financing could take new forms, with candidates potentially spending more resources on campaign mobilisation, transportation, advertising and grassroots outreach.
“The solution is not simply to move from delegates to mass voting,” Dr. Ayariga said. “Otherwise, money politics may simply evolve from buying smaller delegates to buying mass mobilisation.”
He further argued that direct participation could increase accountability among party executives, as leaders would have to pay greater attention to the concerns and interests of the wider membership.
Despite the possible benefits, the APC founder highlighted several challenges that political parties would face in implementing direct primaries, particularly smaller parties with limited financial and organisational capacity.
He said nationwide internal elections involving all eligible members would require significant investment in polling centres, election officials, voter verification systems, ballot materials, security arrangements and logistics.
Dr. Ayariga also warned that the new system could introduce risks such as manipulation of party membership registers, multiple registrations, voter inducement and attempts to influence large groups of voters.
He stressed the importance of developing credible membership databases and clear rules to determine who qualifies as a party member in good standing.
Questions relating to membership dues, registration periods, membership cards and voter eligibility, he said, must be clearly addressed to avoid disputes and abuse.
The APC leader also called for discussions among political parties, the Electoral Commission and Parliament on how the financial and administrative responsibilities associated with expanded internal elections would be managed.
He warned that without strong safeguards, direct primaries could become more expensive, deepen internal party divisions and create opportunities for electoral malpractice.
Looking ahead, Dr. Ayariga said the Supreme Court’s decision has the potential to transform Ghana’s political parties by strengthening grassroots participation and encouraging more inclusive decision-making.
He, however, maintained that direct primaries must be supported by transparent processes, credible membership registers, responsible campaign financing and effective electoral safeguards.
“The principle behind the ruling is potentially very positive for internal democracy,” Dr. Ayariga stated. “However, direct primaries are not automatically democratic simply because more people vote. The process must also be transparent, affordable, secure and free from manipulation.”
He said the focus must now be on ensuring that the implementation of the ruling achieves its intended purpose of empowering party members and deepening democracy within Ghana’s political parties.
