Dr Samuel Kofi Darkwa has called for a national conversation on reforming Ghana’s approach to by-elections, noting the frequent violence and high costs that accompany them.
The Political scientist suggested that in cases where an MP dies in office, the party of the deceased could be allowed to fill the seat internally through its own competitive process.
This, he argued, would ease tensions, cut costs, and reduce sympathy-driven candidacies while preserving the dignity of national mourning.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic, Dr Darkwa commended the New Patriotic Party’s decision to step aside in the upcoming Tamale Central by-election in honour of the late NDC MP, Dr Murtala Ibrahim Mohammed.
He described it as a rare show of unity and respect in Ghana’s often heated political climate, demonstrating that political rivalry can pause in moments of shared grief.
However, he also noted the move could carry political consequences for the NPP and set a precedent for similar situations.
On whether the NDC should take the same approach in the Akwatia by-election, Dr Darkwa said the situation was more complicated, given the constituency’s history of legal disputes and the NDC’s prior determination to reclaim the seat.
While withdrawing could be viewed as an honourable gesture, he warned it might also disappoint loyal supporters.
He added that although the NDC’s two-thirds majority in Parliament reduces the seat’s legislative significance, every constituency matters for maintaining influence.
Dr Darkwa concluded that these developments may reflect a maturing democracy, but they also raise a deeper question—how to honour departed leaders without undermining competitive politics.
