The Tamale High Court has delivered a significant ruling, ordering a fresh parliamentary election in the Kpandai Constituency. The court, presided over by Justice Emmanuel Brew Plange, directed the Electoral Commission (EC) to organize the rerun within 30 days of the judgment, following a successful legal challenge to the 2024 results.
The landmark decision was the result of a petition filed against the declared winner of the 2024 poll, which alleged widespread and consequential irregularities during the constituency’s voting and collation processes. The petitioners argued that these breaches of electoral procedure fundamentally undermined the validity and credibility of the outcome, making it impossible to ascertain the true will of the electorate.
In his ruling, Justice Plange upheld the petition’s claims. While specific details regarding the nature of the irregularities—such as alleged over-voting, ballot stuffing, or clerical errors in the tallying—were not immediately released, the court found the evidence presented compelling enough to nullify the previous results.
The judge stressed that the primary objective of the fresh election is to ensure electoral justice and definitively determine the legitimate representative for the Kpandai seat in Parliament.
The judgment now puts the Electoral Commission under immediate pressure to prepare for a swift and comprehensive by-election in the area. The EC has 30 calendar days to mobilize resources, secure materials, and implement the necessary measures to conduct a credible poll, adhering to all court directives.
This decision marks a major development in the post-election legal landscape, reaffirming the judiciary’s role in addressing grievances related to alleged electoral malpractice. Political parties and candidates involved in the fiercely contested Kpandai seat are now preparing for what is expected to be an intense, short-term campaign leading up to the rerun.
