One-man one-vote primaries could cost NDC more than GHS14 million — Asiedu Nketiah

The National Chairman of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, has raised concerns over the financial burden of implementing a one-man one-vote system for the party's internal presidential and parliamentary primaries.

The comments come after the Supreme Court, in a 5-2 majority decision delivered on Wednesday, July 29, ruled that political parties must allow all registered members in good standing to participate in the selection of presidential and parliamentary candidates, effectively ending the delegate system.

Speaking on JoyNews' PM Express on Tuesday, August 4, Mr. Asiedu Nketiah said although the new system strengthens internal democracy, it would significantly increase the cost of organising party primaries, recalling that the NDC spent nearly GHS14 million the last time it adopted a similar approach in 2014.

"We ended up opening more than 8,000 polling stations, and the Electoral Commission took the view that this was a private election whose cost must be borne exclusively by the party... In the end, in those days, we spent close to GHS14 million by 2014. So this time, it is going to be more," he stated.

He explained that the Electoral Commission deployed officials to every polling station while the party bore the full cost of election materials and logistics, with no financial support from the state.

Mr. Asiedu Nketiah argued that if political parties are required to adopt the one-man one-vote system, the government should consider funding the exercise through the Electoral Commission to reduce the financial burden on parties.

"My expectation is that even though the system is good, since we are being compelled to help citizens exercise their civic and democratic rights, the state should budget for this exercise so that the Electoral Commission can conduct it free of charge. If they can conduct it free of charge, then it will help every political party," he noted.

The ruling party chairman stressed that even though the NDC supports broader participation in internal elections, sustainable funding will be critical to ensuring the successful implementation of the Supreme Court's directive.