The Member of Parliament for Akyem Oda in the Eastern Region and former Deputy Minister of Health, Alexander Akwasi Acquah, has called for the enactment of specific legislation to criminalise the monetisation of intra-party elections in Ghana.
According to him, while the recent Supreme Court ruling on the delegate system for political party primaries has the potential to deepen internal democracy and empower ordinary party members, additional legal measures are required to address the growing influence of money in the selection of parliamentary and presidential candidates.
Mr Acquah made the call when he joined selected Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) for a discussion on political party and election financing in the country.
The engagement provided an opportunity for stakeholders to examine the increasing cost of political participation, the financing of political parties and campaigns, and the implications of recent judicial and constitutional developments for Ghana’s democratic system.
Mr Acquah’s comments come against the backdrop of the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling on July 29, 2026, which declared the delegate-based electoral college system used by political parties to select presidential and parliamentary candidates unconstitutional.
The apex court held that restricting participation in party primaries to a limited number of delegates or party executives disenfranchises ordinary members and is inconsistent with Article 55(5) of the 1992 Constitution, which requires political parties to uphold democratic principles in their internal organisation.
The ruling effectively requires political parties to move towards a more inclusive system in which registered members in good standing have the opportunity to participate directly in the selection of candidates.
The court has granted political parties a one-year grace period to amend their respective constitutions, rules and internal governance arrangements to bring them into conformity with the ruling.
The Electoral Commission is also expected to play its statutory role in supervising political parties and ensuring that their internal organisational structures comply with the democratic requirements.
The court, however, clarified that decisions, appointments and candidate selections made in good faith before the judgment remain legally valid and are not invalidated by the ruling.
For Mr Acquah, the transition from a delegate-based system to a broader membership-based voting system must go hand in hand with measures to prevent financial inducements from determining the outcome of intra-party contests.
He argued that expanding participation alone would not necessarily eliminate the influence of money in Ghanaian politics unless deliberate steps were taken to address the financial incentives associated with political contests.
He therefore advocated the enactment of clear and enforceable laws specifically targeting the monetisation of intra-party elections.
Mr Acquah believes such legislation could help establish stronger safeguards against the use of money to influence voters during party primaries and contribute to restoring confidence in Ghana’s democratic processes.
His position forms part of the broader national debate over political party and election financing, particularly concerns about the increasing financial demands placed on aspirants seeking political office.
The financing of internal party elections has become a major issue in Ghana’s democratic discourse, with aspirants often required to mobilise significant financial resources to run competitive campaigns.
The high cost of political participation has raised concerns among civil society groups, political actors and governance experts about the potential exclusion of individuals who may have the competence and commitment to serve but lack the financial resources required to compete.
There are also concerns that excessive spending during party primaries could create incentives for candidates to seek to recover their campaign expenditure after gaining political office, potentially undermining accountability and public interest governance.
Mr Acquah’s call for legislation is therefore aimed at tackling what he considers a critical dimension of Ghana’s political financing challenge—the use of money to influence internal party elections.
The Supreme Court’s decision has been widely viewed as a significant development in Ghana’s democratic evolution because it shifts greater power from a limited group of delegates to the broader membership of political parties.
Under the direct voting model, ordinary members in good standing would have a greater say in determining who represents their parties in parliamentary and presidential elections.
Supporters of the major political parties such as the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC), have welcomed the decision as a potential avenue for strengthening grassroots participation and reducing what has been described as elite capture of party structures.
However, the broader participation created by the ruling also raises questions about how parties will finance and administer much larger primary elections while ensuring that the process remains transparent, competitive and free from undue financial influence.
For Mr Acquah, addressing the monetisation of party primaries must therefore form an important part of the reforms that follow the Supreme Court’s decision.
The Akyem Oda MP’s intervention adds to calls for a comprehensive review of Ghana’s political financing framework to ensure that electoral competition does not become excessively dependent on wealth.
He maintained that strengthening internal democracy should not simply mean expanding the number of people who vote in party primaries, but must also involve creating conditions under which candidates can compete on the basis of their ideas, competence, credibility and commitment to their parties and constituents.
The proposed criminalisation of the monetisation of intra-party elections, if pursued, would represent a significant step towards regulating the financial dimension of party primaries.
Mr Acquah’s position also underscores the need for political parties, Parliament, the Electoral Commission, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to work together to develop enforceable rules that promote transparency and fairness in political financing.
As Ghana prepares for political parties to implement the Supreme Court’s directive within the one-year transition period, the debate over how to prevent money from dominating internal elections is expected to remain a key issue in the country’s ongoing democratic reforms.
By 1960news.com
