NDC Aggrieved After Kpandai Election Petition Loss at Supreme Court: “We Will Advise Our Candidate”
- The Supreme Court restored the Kpandai seat to the New Patriotic Party after an appeal to the judgment on an election petition
- The National Democratic Congress expressed disappointment over the apex Ghanaian court's final decision on the matter
- The victor in the 2024 election, Mattnew Nyindam, celebrated his victory as an affirmation of the desires of his constituents
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) is reeling after the Supreme Court restored the Kpandai seat to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) after a drawn-out election petition.
Reacting to the judgment at the Supreme Court, Majority Chief Whip and NDC member Nelson Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor said the party was pained by the outcome.
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Citi News reported that, according to Dafeamekpor, the NDC's legal team might seek a review of the Supreme Court's decision.
"As a party, we are aggrieved by this decision, and therefore, we will advise our candidate on the matter regarding the next step to take."
The disputed Member of Parliament for the Kpandai constituency, Mattnew Nyindam, expressed satisfaction following the Supreme Court’s decision.
Joy News reported that he held that the will of his constituency had prevailed in the matter.
"I want to thank the Almighty God for what he’s done in my life, and to also thank my lawyers and the Supreme Court judges for the ruling. It is clear that the NDC wanted to change the will of the people of Kpandai, but the Supreme Court has affirmed the will of the people, and I am most grateful."
Matthew Nyindam's arguments in the Kpandai case
Nyindam took the legal route after the Tamale High Court ordered a rerun of the 2024 parliamentary election in the Kpandai constituency.
He asked the apex court to exercise its supervisory jurisdiction to set aside the High Court’s ruling on the grounds of a supposed jurisdictional error.
His application centred around when the Electoral Commission gazetted the results of the 2024 parliamentary election for the Kpandai constituency.
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Under the electoral laws of Ghana, an election petition must be filed within 21 days of the gazette notification of results.
If the petition is filed outside that period, the court lacks jurisdiction to consider it.
However, the NDC, which was represented in the election by Daniel Nsala Wakpal, argued that the 2024 parliamentary elections presented a special situation.
According to them, the commission had issued two separate gazette notices in respect of the parliamentary results, one on December 24, 2024, and another on January 6, 2025.
What did the Supreme Court decide?
With a 4-1 majority, the Supreme Court held that the Tamale High Court made a mistake when it annulled the 2024 parliamentary election result.
The apex court ruled that the High Court erred in its interpretation and application of the law governing parliamentary election petitions.
The Supreme Court is yet to publish its full judgment on the matter, although the effects on Ghana's political sphere are already taking effect.
Nyindam favoured to win potential re-run
YEN.com.gh reported that early polls on the Kpandai election rerun showed a tight race between the NPP and NDC candidates.
An initial survey conducted by Global InfoAnalytics indicated that Nyindam had led the poll by four points over his main contender.
Proofreading by Bruce Douglas, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
