National Democratic Congress (NDC) National Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketia has called on the government to fund political parties’ one-member-one-vote internal elections through the Electoral Commission (EC), arguing that the cost of organising nationwide primaries is too high for parties to bear alone.
His comments follow a Supreme Court directive requiring political parties to adopt a more inclusive system for selecting parliamentary candidates, with parties given one year to comply.
Speaking on JoyNews’ PM Express, Mr Asiedu Nketia revealed that the NDC spent nearly GH¢14 million when it organised its one-member-one-vote internal elections in 2014.
According to him, the party established more than 8,000 polling stations nationwide and covered the cost of election materials and allowances for officials recruited by the Electoral Commission.
“The Electoral Commission didn’t contribute one cedi.”
Mr Asiedu Nketia argued that because the new system expands participation in the democratic process, the state should help finance it by allowing the Electoral Commission to conduct the elections at no cost to political parties.
“I expect that even though the system is good, since we are being compelled to help citizens exercise their civic and democratic rights, it will serve very well if you ask the state to budget for this exercise so the Electoral Commission can conduct it free of charge.”
He described the Electoral Commission’s role as the single largest cost component of the exercise.
“Because that will be your biggest cost line. The EC. If they can conduct it free of charge, then it will help every political party.”
The NDC Chairman explained that one-member-one-vote elections are significantly more expensive than delegate-based primaries because they require far more polling stations, election officials and ballot papers.
According to him, while delegate elections require fewer than 400,000 ballot papers, a nationwide one-member-one-vote exercise could require between one million and two million ballot papers.
Addressing concerns that state funding could encourage the formation of numerous political parties seeking public resources, Mr Asiedu Nketia supported the establishment of an office to regulate political parties.
He said such a body would ensure that only parties that meet the constitutional requirements for registration and operation qualify for state support.
“It is actually in the government position paper on the constitution.”
Despite the financial implications, Mr Asiedu Nketia said the NDC is well-positioned to comply with the Supreme Court’s timeline, noting that the party already has experience implementing the one-member-one-vote system.
