The Supreme Court has set January 28, 2026, to deliver its verdict on whether to overturn the High Court ruling that nullified the parliamentary election results in Kpandai, Northern Region.
The case stems from the Tamale High Court’s decision to invalidate the election of New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament Matthew Nyindam following a petition by National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate Daniel Nsala Wakpal. The High Court subsequently ordered a fresh poll.
Following that ruling, the Electoral Commission (EC) scheduled the rerun for December 31, 2025. However, the process was suspended after Mr. Nyindam appealed to the Supreme Court, seeking to quash the High Court’s judgment.
Mr. Nyindam’s legal team argues that the High Court lacked jurisdiction to hear the petition because it was filed outside the mandatory 21-day window. They contend that the Kpandai results were gazetted on December 24, 2024, which began the legal countdown, making the petition filed on January 25, 2025, time-barred. They maintain that all subsequent actions, including the nullification of the election and the order for a rerun, were therefore invalid.
Lawyers for Mr. Wakpal, however, insist that the High Court acted within its constitutional mandate under Article 99 of the 1992 Constitution. They argue that the results were re-gazetted on January 6, 2025, which triggered the 21-day filing period, making the January 25 petition valid. They further note that Mr. Nyindam relied on the January 6 Gazette during High Court proceedings and cannot now dispute its validity.
The EC has confirmed that gazette notices were issued in batches, acknowledging both the December 24, 2024, and January 6, 2025, publications.
The suspension of the Kpandai rerun remains in effect pending the Supreme Court’s decision, which is expected to have significant implications for the constituency and for the interpretation of election petition timelines in Ghana.
