National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, has expressed concern over the financial burden that could arise from abolishing the delegates system in selecting presidential and parliamentary candidates. In an interview with JoyNews on Tuesday, August 4, he recalled the party’s 2014 internal elections, when the NDC expanded its process to allow all members to vote. While the inclusive system strengthened internal democracy, he noted, it also imposed significant financial costs on the party.
He explained that the expanded exercise required the establishment of thousands of polling stations nationwide to ensure members, especially those in remote areas, could vote without travelling long distances. “Some electoral areas consist of clusters of villages, which meant more polling stations had to be opened in those villages.
In the end, we set up more than 8,000 polling stations, and the Electoral Commission insisted this was a private election whose costs had to be borne entirely by the party,” Asiedu Nketiah recounted.
“The Electoral Commission recruited about four polling officials for each polling station and we had to pay them and pay all the costs of the materials. The Electoral Commission didn’t contribute a pesewa, and so in the end, in those days, we spent close to GH¢14 million in 2014.
“So my expectation is that even though the system is good, since we are being compelled to help citizens exercise their civic and democratic rights, it sits very well if you ask the state to budget for this exercise so that the Electoral Commission can conduct it free of charge.”
His comments come following the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling declaring the delegates system used by political parties to elect their presidential and parliamentary candidates unconstitutional.
In a 5–2 majority decision on July 29, the apex court ruled that the delegates system employed by political parties to elect presidential and parliamentary candidates is unconstitutional.
The Court consequently directed all political parties to introduce arrangements that allow every member in good standing to vote directly in the selection of their presidential and parliamentary candidates.
Source: Kabah Atawoge
