Supreme Court To Decide On NDC’s Challenge To High Court Ruling On Parliamentary Re-Collation

The Supreme Court of Ghana will today, December 27, 2024, hear a case filed by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) challenging a High Court ruling that directed the Electoral Commission (EC) to collate and re-collate parliamentary results in six constituencies. This legal battle marks a pivotal moment in Ghana’s ongoing electoral process.

The Supreme Court of Ghana

On December 20, the Accra High Court, presided over by Justice Rev. Fr. Joseph Adu Owusu Agyemang, ordered the EC to finalize and announce parliamentary results in Tema Central, Nsawam-Adoagyiri, Ablekuma North, Ahafo Ano North, Techiman South, and Okaikwei Central. This directive came after New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidates in the affected constituencies successfully filed mandamus applications, arguing that the completion of results was essential to uphold electoral laws.

Justice Agyemang also instructed the Inspector-General of Police to ensure adequate security at the collation centres to facilitate the process.

In response, the NDC and its parliamentary candidates filed a certiorari application with the Supreme Court, seeking to overturn the High Court’s ruling. The NDC contends that the decision violated principles of natural justice, as their candidates were not granted an opportunity to be heard before the mandamus orders were issued.

The party further argued that the High Court erred by not compelling the NPP candidates to notify them of the mandamus applications, a requirement under Order 55 rule 5(2) of C.I. 47.

The dispute comes as the EC works to resolve anomalies from the December elections. The commission had earlier announced plans to re-collate results in nine constituencies due to irregularities and reports of duress during the initial collation process.

As of December 21, re-collation in seven constituencies had been completed, with NPP candidates declared winners in those areas. However, the results for Dome-Kwabenya and Ablekuma North remain outstanding.

Today’s Supreme Court hearing will decide whether the High Court’s orders for re-collation in the six constituencies will stand or be quashed. This decision will have significant implications for Ghana’s parliamentary composition and the broader electoral process.

With tensions high and the stakes even higher, the outcome of this case is expected to shape the post-election political landscape and set a precedent for handling electoral disputes in the future.

#SupremeCourtGhana #NDCvsNPP #ElectoralDisputes #GhanaElections2024 #ParliamentaryResults #ElectoralCommission #MandamusApplication #HighCourtRuling #NaturalJustice #ECReCollation #ConstitutionalLaw #ElectionPetition #LegalBattle #GhanaPolitics #ElectoralIntegrity #ElectionAnomalies #JusticeForAll #RuleOfLaw #IGPDirectives #ConstituencyResults #ElectionTransparency #ParliamentaryElections #CertiorariApplication #PoliticalAccountability #ElectoralReforms #ElectionDisputes2024 #DomeKwabenya #AblekumaNorth #TechimanSouth #NsawamAdoagyiri