The director of Ashesi University, John Osae Kwapong, has said Ghana’s major political parties are reluctant to fully open up their primaries because it could reduce the influence of money in internal elections.
Speaking in an interview on JoyNews’ AM Show on Thursday, May 28, 2026, he argued that an open primary system would make it much harder for politicians to influence election outcomes through cash and delegate manipulation.
According to him, the current delegate system gives too much power to a small group of people, creating room for money to influence leadership contests.
“If every registered member in good standing can vote, you really increase the cost,” he explained.
Osae Kwapong stated that it is easier for candidates to influence a limited number of delegates than to sway an entire constituency made up of ordinary party members.
“It’s more difficult to try and buy an entire constituency than it is to buy a number of delegates,” he said.
The political analyst acknowledged that both major political parties have often cited logistical and financial challenges as reasons against open primaries.
However, he believes those concerns frequently overshadow the democratic benefits such a system could offer.
According to him, expanding participation within political parties would force politicians to campaign based on policies and grassroots engagement rather than relying on money to win support.
He added that candidates themselves should support broader participation because it strengthens legitimacy and reduces doubts about manipulated outcomes.
