The Upper East Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Lawyer Anthony Namoo, has cautioned that expanding voting rights in political party elections could expose parties to manipulation if proper safeguards are not introduced.
While supporting the principle of broader participation, he said political parties must establish credible membership databases and verification systems before implementing direct voting.
“You need a huge amount of resources to be able to build this, build a database and ensure integrity in the system,” he stated.
Lawyer Namoo warned that individuals without genuine commitment to a political party could influence internal elections if membership verification is weak.
“We live in a society where people are not that credible. I am not saying everybody, but some people are not credible,” he said.
He explained that Ghana’s political environment makes it necessary for parties to carefully monitor membership.
He cited situations where individuals elected as party executives later crossed to rival political parties as examples of potential challenges.
“If somebody is elected as a polling station executive for NPP and later goes to contest for NDC, look at how dangerous that can become,” he said.
However, he noted that a well-managed system could also eliminate problems such as individuals belonging to multiple political parties.
According to him, direct voting should be accompanied by stronger membership responsibilities, including payment of party dues.
“Every right comes with responsibility. If you want to vote, you must also take financial responsibility as a member,” he stated.
Lawyer Namoo believes the Supreme Court’s ruling presents both opportunities and risks, but political parties must strengthen their internal systems to ensure the credibility of future elections.
“We need deep reflection on this decision because democracy must grow, but the structures supporting it must also grow,” he added.
Source: Bolgafmonline.com |102.7 MHz | Bolgatanga
