The Supreme Court has made a significant decision in the ongoing post-election dispute by setting aside the Electoral Commission’s re-collation and declaration of parliamentary results for four disputed constituencies. These constituencies include Okaikwei Central, Ablekuma North, Tema Central, and Techiman South.
The decision comes after an Accra High Court granted a Mandamus application filed by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) on Friday, 20th December, allowing the re-collation of results for six disputed constituencies. However, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) rejected the ruling, arguing that their legal representative was not given the opportunity to present their case.
In a unanimous ruling by a five-member panel of the Supreme Court, the NDC’s case was upheld in four out of the six listed constituencies. The court noted that the High Court judge did not afford the NDC’s legal representative the opportunity to present their case, violating their right to a hearing.
As a result, the court annulled the re-collation of results for the four constituencies, citing earlier declarations of results in these areas. The court also directed the High Court to hear the NPP’s application for mandamus on Tuesday, 31st December 2024.
In response to the ruling, the lawyer for the NPP parliamentary candidates stated that the party would abide by the decision and urged calm among party members. The NDC, on the other hand, welcomed the Supreme Court’s ruling with excitement.
The Supreme Court’s decision has brought a new twist to the post-election dispute, and it remains to be seen how this will impact the overall outcome of the election results. The ruling underscores the importance of due process and the need for a fair and transparent electoral process in Ghana.
