The Tamale High Court has annulled the 2024 parliamentary election results for the Kpandai constituency and directed the Electoral Commission (EC) to conduct a fresh poll within 30 days. The ruling, delivered by Justice Emmanuel Brew Plange, follows a petition filed by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary candidate, Daniel Nsala Wakpal.

Mr. Wakpal alleged that the December 7, 2024 election was marred by major irregularities, citing inconsistencies in Form 8A (pink sheets) from 41 of the 152 polling stations. He argued that these violations breached Regulations 39 and 43 of the Public Elections Regulations (CI 127), affecting the integrity of the electoral outcome.

The court upheld his claims, ruling that the breaches constituted non-compliance significant enough to influence the results. Justice Plange consequently ordered a complete rerun of the parliamentary election in the Kpandai constituency, rejecting the idea of a partial recount or limited rerun.

The sitting Member of Parliament, Matthew Nyindam of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), was declared the winner in the original contest. He polled 27,947 votes (53.47%), while Mr. Wakpal secured 24,213 votes (46.33%). The All People’s Congress (APC) candidate, Donkor Eric Nipani, finished a distant third with 104 votes (0.20%), leaving a margin of 3,734 votes between the two leading contenders.

Tensions on election day foreshadowed the dispute. Reports indicated disturbances at the collation centre, with allegations of vote rigging by NDC supporters. Claims surfaced that biometric verification devices were removed, ballots destroyed, and unrest escalated, prompting security force intervention.

In his ruling, Justice Plange emphasized the need to restore confidence in the electoral process. He urged the EC to conduct a transparent and credible re-poll to safeguard voter sovereignty.

Lawyers for the NPP candidate have already filed a motion for stay of execution pending appeal.

Speaking to journalists after the ruling, counsel for the petitioner said the case hinged on a straightforward breach of law. He accused the EC’s district officer of relocating the collation centre without notifying the candidates, thereby denying his client the legal right to participate in collation, request recounts, or challenge irregularities.

“You don’t redesignate the district collation centre without notice to participating candidates,” he stressed. “The failure prevented the petitioner from exercising his rights.”

He welcomed the ruling, arguing that electoral legitimacy belongs to the people of Kpandai, not beneficiaries of procedural misconduct.

Deputy Director of Elections and IT for the NDC, Rashid Tanko “Computer”, also hailed the decision. He claimed it confirmed long-standing allegations of manipulation by rogue electoral officers.

“They didn’t do a proper collation. They organised themselves, ran to Tamale, cooked some results and announced Nyindam,” he alleged.

He maintained the party pursued the matter lawfully and expressed confidence in winning the upcoming by-election.

“We followed the process and secured judgment. We will hand the NPP a heavy defeat if they contest,” he warned.