The Tamale High Court has annulled the 2024 parliamentary election results in Kpandai, ordering a rerun of the entire election. The court, presided over by Justice Emmanuel Brew Plange, ruled that the election was flawed with widespread irregularities, citing non-compliance with electoral regulations.
The petitioner, Daniel Nsala Wakpal, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate, alleged discrepancies in Form 8A (pink sheets) from 41 out of 152 polling stations, violating Regulations 39 and 43 of the Public Elections Regulations (CI 127). The court agreed that these irregularities compromised the integrity of the election.
Key reasons for the court’s decision:
– Unauthorised relocation of collation centre: The Electoral Commission (EC) relocated the collation centre without informing candidates, denying Wakpal his right to participate in the collation process.
– Inconsistencies in pink sheets: Discrepancies were found in 41 polling stations, affecting the validity of the election.
– Violations of electoral regulations: The EC failed to comply with CI 127, compromising the election’s integrity.
The incumbent MP, Matthew Nyindam of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has filed an appeal and applied for a stay of execution, seeking to challenge the court’s ruling. The EC is expected to issue a new timetable for the rerun.
