The Tamale High Court has invalidated 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 on Monday by Justice Emmanuel Brew Plange, held that the election was marred by widespread irregularities that materially affected the outcome. The seat is currently held by New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP Matthew Nyindam.
The decision followed a petition filed on December 23, 2024, by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary candidate, Daniel Nsala Wakpal. Mr Wakpal challenged the EC’s declaration of Mr Nyindam as MP-elect, arguing that the results were invalid due to irregularities and inconsistencies on several pink sheets.
He alleged that Form 8A — required under regulations 32(7) and 39(2) of CI 127 — contained inconsistencies in 41 out of 152 polling stations. He further contended that the December 7 election was conducted in a manner inconsistent with regulation 39 of the Public Elections Regulations, 2020 (CI 127), undermining the integrity of the polls.
After reviewing the evidence, the court agreed with the petitioner, ruling that the level of non-compliance was significant enough to affect the final results. It therefore ordered the EC to organise a new election to determine the legitimate winner.
The annulled results had placed Mr Nyindam ahead with 27,947 votes (53.47%), followed by Mr Wakpal with 24,213 votes (46.33%). The All People’s Congress (APC) candidate, Donkor Eric Nipani, received 104 votes.
In court, it also emerged that the election was marked by violence. At the collation centre, ballot boxes and Biometric Verification Devices were reportedly vandalised before security personnel intervened to restore order.
Following the ruling, lawyers for the defendant filed for a stay of execution pending an appeal.
