Former National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Freddie Blay, has raised concerns over proposals to allow all registered members of political parties to vote in presidential and parliamentary primaries, arguing that such a system would be difficult to implement.
His remarks come after the Supreme Court ruled that the delegate system is unconstitutional and directed political parties to adopt a more inclusive electoral process that gives all eligible party members the opportunity to participate in choosing parliamentary and presidential candidates.
The proposal has also received the government’s backing in principle as part of the ongoing constitutional review process.
Despite supporting democratic participation within political parties, Mr Blay said internal electoral arrangements must be designed with practicality in mind and should reflect the realities of party organisation.
Speaking in an interview on Channel One TV, he questioned whether replacing the delegate system with universal participation by card-bearing members would effectively eliminate corruption and undue influence during internal elections.
He pointed to reforms previously introduced by the National Democratic Congress (NDC), noting that although the party expanded its voting base, allegations of vote-buying and electoral manipulation continued to surface.
Mr Blay also cautioned that opening party primaries to all members could create opportunities for infiltration by people who may not genuinely support the party but seek to influence its candidate selection process.
He further stressed that organising nationwide primaries involving thousands of party members would require enormous financial and logistical resources.
According to him, the cost of printing ballot papers, mobilising voters and conducting large-scale internal elections would place a significant burden on political parties.
Mr Blay maintained that while reforms to improve internal party democracy are welcome, they must be carefully designed to address practical challenges rather than simply expanding participation without considering the implications.
He insisted that any changes to the current system should strike a balance between greater inclusiveness and the efficient management of party elections.
