Kennedy Osei Nyarko, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Akyem Swedru, has put forward a controversial proposal to curb the pervasive influence of money in the party’s internal elections.
While backing calls to expand the electoral college to include all card-bearing members, he argues that simply opening up the process risks replacing one flawed system with another. Instead, he advocates for a spontaneous delegate selection method to disrupt the cycle of bribery and financial coercion that often taints primaries.
In a social media post, Osei Nyarko outlined a two-tier approach. Under his plan, card-bearing members at each polling station would gather on the day of presidential or parliamentary candidate elections to instantly nominate a small, predetermined number of representatives—such as 25 to 30 individuals—to vote on behalf of the entire membership. This last-minute selection, he claims, would make it nearly impossible for candidates to identify and bribe delegates ahead of time. “If delegates are chosen spontaneously on the morning of elections, aspirants can’t target them with money or favors. It levels the playing field,” he explained.
The proposal responds to mounting criticism over the NPP’s current delegate system, which critics say incentivizes vote-buying. Wealthy candidates often shower delegates with cash, gifts, or promises of patronage to secure support, sidelining less-resourced contenders and undermining merit-based selection. Osei Nyarko’s model aims to dismantle this transactional dynamic by introducing uncertainty into the delegate pool.
While the idea has sparked debate within the party, skeptics question its practicality. Critics argue that last-minute delegate selection could lead to chaos or accusations of bias during nominations. Others note that determined aspirants might still find ways to influence the process, even on short notice. Nonetheless, the MP’s push reflects growing frustration among reformists who view monetary influence as a threat to the NPP’s credibility and internal democracy.
The proposal arrives amid broader calls for political parties to adopt transparent, inclusive primaries. Ghana’s electoral landscape has long grappled with allegations of “cash-for-votes” schemes, eroding public trust in candidate legitimacy. For Osei Nyarko, the urgency is clear: “If we don’t fix how we choose our leaders, we risk becoming a party where only the richest, not the most capable, can win.”
As the NPP prepares for future elections, the party faces a critical choice: maintain a status quo riddled with financial manipulation or embrace bold reforms to restore integrity to its candidate selection process.
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