The government has endorsed the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling that requires all registered members in good standing of political parties to participate in the selection of parliamentary and presidential candidates, effectively bringing an end to the delegate system.
Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, announced the government’s position while addressing journalists on Thursday, July 30. He said the administration has accepted the Constitutional Review Committee’s recommendation to amend Article 55 of the 1992 Constitution to guarantee equal voting rights for all qualified members of political parties.
“The Committee recommended an amendment to Article 55 to require every registered political party to afford its members in good standing equal voting rights in the selection of its parliamentary and presidential candidates. The Government has accepted this recommendation,” Dr. Ayine stated.
He explained that the government’s position aligns with the Supreme Court’s July 29 ruling in the case of Prof. Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng and Others v. NPP, NDC and Others, which declared the delegate system unconstitutional.
“Just yesterday, July 29, the Supreme Court held that all registered members of political parties should be allowed to take part in their internal elections. Therefore, on this question, the Committee, the Government and the Supreme Court now speak with one voice,” he said.
Dr. Ayine stressed that political parties must uphold the democratic principles they seek to promote.
“Political parties are the vehicles through which we choose those who govern us. They cannot themselves be governed by the few,” he added.
The Attorney-General also disclosed that the government has accepted, in principle, the Constitutional Review Committee’s recommendation to establish an independent body to register and regulate political parties, replacing the Electoral Commission’s current oversight role.
According to him, the proposed institution will be called the Political Parties Regulatory Commission.
“The Committee recommended an independent body to register and regulate political parties in place of the Electoral Commission’s current role. The Government accepts this in principle. We prefer, however, the designation Political Parties Regulatory Commission rather than the nomenclature of a ‘Registrar and Regulator’,” he explained.
Dr. Ayine said the commission would be established through legislation, with key issues such as campaign financing and the proposed Democracy Fund addressed in the enabling law.
“The Commission will be established through legislation, and matters such as campaign financing and the proposed Democracy Fund will be addressed in that legislation, providing the flexibility that this rapidly evolving field demands,” he noted.
The government’s announcement forms part of its response to the Constitutional Review Committee’s report, which is expected to guide future constitutional and legislative reforms aimed at strengthening Ghana’s democratic governance.
Source: Media Ghana
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