Supreme Court Directs High Court To Hear NDC's Petition Under Guidance Of New Judge

• The Supreme Court has ruled that the mandamus application related to the contested parliamentary results be heard under a new high court judge
• This was after the high court judge, Rev Fr Joseph Agyemang refused to admit the NDC's application to join the mandamus application brought by the NPP parliamentary candidates
• The Supreme Court noted that the high court judge breached the NDC's right to a fair hearing hence the ruling

The Supreme Court has ordered that a different high court judge hear the mandamus application related to the contested parliamentary results.

The order follows a determination that the trial judge violated the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary candidates’ right to a fair hearing during the mandamus trial.

The court’s decision also nullified the re-collation results for the Ablekuma North, Tema Central, Techiman South, and Okaikwei Central constituencies.

However, the Supreme Court upheld the validity of the results of the Ahafo Ano North and Nsawam Adoagyiri constituencies.

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The Supreme Court noted that the mandamus application remains active despite the results' nullification and must be reheard at the High Court on Tuesday, December 31, 2024, under a new judge.

NDC accuse judge of bias

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has accused the high court judge who directed the Electoral Commission (EC) to proceed with its re-collation exercise of bias and procedural errors.

The High Court Judge, Rev Fr Joseph Agyemang, on December 20, 2024, directed the EC to re-collate the results in nine disputed constituencies following mandamus applications filed by New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidates.

The NPP had argued that the initial collation process had been fraught with irregularities and, thus, needed re-collation to ensure transparency and accuracy.

The NDC attempted to join the suit to protest the NPP’s claims; however, the judge dismissed their application.

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Supreme Court rules in favour of NDC, quashes re-collation of results for Okaikwei Central, 3 others

This led to the re-collation of the results in all the disputed areas except for Ablekuma North and Dome Kwabenya, which remain incomplete.

EC ordered to re-collate Nsawam Adoagyiri

YEN.com.gh reported that the Electoral Commission has been ordered to collate and declare the parliamentary results for Nsawam Adoagyiri.

The Accra High Court also ordered the IGP to provide maximum protection at the collation centres to prevent any disturbances.

This comes on the back of six NPP parliamentary candidates filing an order of mandamus urging the court to compel the EC and the IGP to do so.

Source: YEN.com.gh