The National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketiah has called on the leadership of Africa’s political parties to change their reason for existence.
He said political parties in Africa present themselves as an organised system for winning elections instead of development agents.
“We must move away from political parties being merely election machines, they must do more including policy and government checks,” he said on August 11.
Mr Nketiah made the call when he spoke as a panel member at the 2026 Goodluck Jonathan Foundation Democracy Dialogue held at Bauchi, Bauchi State, Nigeria.
The dialogue was held under the Theme: “Beyond Elections: Can Political Parties and the Judiciary Save African Democracy?”
Speaking on the theme, the National Chairman of the NDC noted that political parties and the judiciary can save African democracy only if they reform themselves.
“Political parties must cease to be seasonal electoral machines and become permanent democratic institutions. The judiciary must remain independent of political power while providing remedies that are impartial, accessible, timely and convincingly reasoned,” he stressed.
Mr Nketiah added that, “The future of African democracy will not be secured merely by conducting more elections. It will be secured by institutions that make elections meaningful, government accountable, constitutional limits effective and peaceful transfers of power normal.”
He cautioned political parties to remember that power is temporary and that the state belongs to the people, adding that the judiciary must understand its strongest protection not as the goodwill of political leaders, but the confidence of citizens in its independence and integrity.
“When parties respect constitutional limits, courts administer justice without fear or favour, governments deliver material progress and citizens remain engaged beyond election day, democracy becomes more than a procedure. It becomes a durable system of public trust, peaceful competition, accountable authority and national development,” Mr Nketiah advised.
“Between the courts and political parties, both must work to save democracy,” he remarked.
