Three respected figures in Ghana’s political and public life have taken the country’s major political parties to the Supreme Court over the way presidential candidates are selected within their parties.
Professor Kwabena Frimpong Boateng, Dr Nyaho Nyaho Tamakloe, and Dr Christine Amoako Nuamah filed the suit on January 23, 2026, arguing that the delegate based system used by the New Patriotic Party, the National Democratic Congress, and the Convention People’s Party is unfair, unconstitutional, and shuts out the majority of party members.
According to the plaintiffs, the current arrangement allows only a small group of party executives and selected delegates to vote during flagbearer elections, while ordinary card bearing members are excluded from the process. They say this practice has replaced internal democracy with what they describe as an elite controlled system.
In their filing, the three argue that political parties are meant to be democratic institutions and that their internal elections should reflect the same principles that govern national elections. They insist that every registered member in good standing should have the right to vote in party primaries, just as citizens vote in general elections.
The plaintiffs contend that by limiting voting power to a narrow group, the parties have created what amounts to a privileged voting class, leaving hundreds of thousands of loyal members without a voice in choosing leaders who will eventually seek to govern the country.
They are therefore asking the Supreme Court to declare that the internal organisation of political parties must align with the democratic values set out in the 1992 Constitution. If successful, the case could force political parties to adopt a one member one vote system for selecting both parliamentary and presidential candidates.
The lawsuit specifically challenges key provisions in the constitutions of the three parties, which currently allow leadership selection through delegates rather than the full membership.
The Electoral Commission has also been named as a defendant in the case. The plaintiffs accuse the Commission of failing to enforce the law that requires political parties to operate in a democratic manner as a condition for registration. They argue that the Commission has allowed delegate based systems to continue despite clear constitutional and legal requirements.
The case has already generated significant public interest, especially as it comes at a time when political parties are preparing for crucial internal elections ahead of the 2028 general polls. If the Supreme Court rules in favour of the plaintiffs, it could fundamentally reshape how political power is contested and decided within Ghana’s political parties.
For now, all eyes are on the court as the country awaits a decision that could redefine internal party democracy for a generation.
