Speaking on Saturday, June 8, 2025, at the High-Level Conference on Revitalising the Anti-Corruption Architecture in Africa in Accra, Mr Agyebeng argued that the delegate-based system enables corruption, as aspirants often resort to bribing a small number of delegates with cash or gifts to secure nominations.

“The delegate system is a chokehold on our democracy. A few hundred delegates can be swayed with money, but if primaries are opened to all voters, vote buying becomes too costly and ineffective,” Mr Agyebeng said.

“This is a practical way to make corruption in political financing pointless.”

His comments come amid growing concerns over the increasing cost of political campaigns in Ghana.

The Centre for Democratic Development (CDD) estimates that some parliamentary candidates spent up to $600,000 during the 2024 general elections, with many seeking to recover those expenses through corrupt means once elected.

Mr Agyebeng argued that allowing all voters to participate in selecting party candidates would reduce the influence of money in politics and make the process more representative.

He cited the United States’ system of open primaries as a possible model, though he stressed the need for legislative changes to Ghana’s laws, particularly the definition of “public elections,” to include internal party contests.

“Currently, our laws focus on political parties, not candidates, who are the ones raising and spending campaign funds. We’ve prosecuted vote buying at the Office of the Special Prosecutor, but there are legal arguments about whether primaries count as public elections, which affects our ability to intervene,” he said.

Mr Agyebeng acknowledged the challenge of political buy-in but said reform was necessary to strengthen Ghana’s democracy.

He added that while his office had the power to sanction parties for financial misconduct, applying such penalties to the major parties could lead to instability.

“We need a broader strategy, and this is just one part of it,” he said.