Dr. Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe, one of the plaintiffs in the suit against the delegate system used by political parties, has hailed the Supreme Court’s judgment as a major win for Ghana’s democracy.
He said the ruling will help bring back politics based on merit and ensure leadership is decided by wider party involvement instead of by a small group. In a 5-2 majority decision, the Supreme Court declared that the delegate system used by parties to choose presidential and parliamentary candidates goes against democratic principles.
The court ordered political parties to revise their internal election structures within 12 months to enable all registered members in good standing to take part in selecting candidates.
The implication is that parties can no longer depend only on hand-picked delegates to pick candidates and must now create processes that allow broader member participation.
Speaking to Citi News after the ruling, Dr. Nyaho-Tamakloe described it as a positive step that will reinforce Ghana’s democratic base. “The Supreme Court decision is indeed a good decision for democracy. If democracy must continue, then it must be merit-based. Otherwise, it has no meaning,” he said.
He noted that the verdict sends a strong signal to parties that the opinions and preferences of ordinary members must count in the quest for political power. Dr. Nyaho-Tamakloe said he expects parties to take lessons from the judgment and adjust their internal systems to align with democratic values.
“I believe strongly political parties are going to learn a lesson from this, and they should know that the will of the people can never be changed,” he stated.He argued that party positions should be earned through competence, credibility and acceptance by members, not through money or personal ties. “You cannot buy your way to office. That is untenable,” he added.
