Executive Director of the Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), Professor Henry Kwasi Prempeh has raised concern about the integrity of Ghana’s electoral process, suggesting that some candidates may not be genuine contenders but rather proxies for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
He expressed his disapproval of the Electoral Commission’s (EC) decision to approve 13 candidates for the upcoming 2024 presidential election.
In September 2024, the Electoral Commission announced that it had vetted and cleared 13 out of 24 applicants to participate in the presidential polls scheduled for December 7.
Speaking at the First Anniversary Lecture honoring Lawyer Akoto Ampaw, he pointed out that many of the smaller political parties approved to contest are effectively serving as proxies for both the NPP and the NDC.
He criticized the role of the Electoral Commission, asserting that if it were more diligent and meticulous in its vetting process, the number of candidates on the ballot would likely be significantly reduced.
He explained that Ghana operates within a duopolistic political system characterized by a highly polarized winner-takes-all culture, raising questions about how voters can exit this system.
He said while dissatisfied voters may switch between parties, the duopolistic nature limits their choices to approximately 13 candidates on the ballot. This situation leads to speculation about why the number of candidates remains consistently high each election year, especially when many of these parties do not meet the required standards. He stressed that is also a common belief that this occurs because these parties act as proxies for the major parties, aiming to influence decision-making at the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC).