Ghana Election 2024

NDC Seeks Court Order to Stop Electoral Commission's 'Illegal' Re-Collation of Five Constituencies

Dec 16, 2024 - 23:14

Dr. Omane Boamah is Director of Elections for the National Democratic Congress (NDC)

A legal battle is brewing in Ghana as the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has filed a lawsuit to prevent the Electoral Commission (EC) from re-collating and redeclaring parliamentary results in five disputed constituencies. The NDC argues that the EC has exceeded its authority in attempting to revisit the results.

The disputed constituencies, including Dome-Kwabenya, Okaikwei Central, Ablekuma North, Tema Central, and Obuasi East, have been at the center of ongoing tensions and disputes over the initial collation of results. The EC had earlier declared the results in four of these constituencies as invalid due to procedural irregularities.

In a press briefing, Deputy EC Chair for Operations Samuel Tettey explained that the results could not be upheld due to non-compliance with procedures outlined in CI 127. The NDC, however, maintains that the EC's attempt to re-collate and redeclare the results is unlawful.

The lawsuit, filed on behalf of the NDC and five other applicants, seeks a declaration that the EC has become "functus officio" and is therefore prohibited from re-collating, recounting, or redeclaring the results.

The applicants in the case include Faustina Elikplim Akurugu, Baba Sadiq, Ewurabena Aubynn, Ebi Bright, and Samuel Aboagye.

The applicants are seeking an “order prohibiting the respondent from re-collating, re-counting and re-declaring the already collated and declared parliamentary election results in the Dome-Kwabenya, Okaikwei Central, Ablekuma North, and Tema Central constituencies.”

“A declaration that by virtue of Article 99 of the 1992 constitution of the Republic of Ghana and section 16 of PNDCL 284, it is the High Court of Ghana that has the exclusive original jurisdiction to invalidate the declaration of parliamentary election results and not the respondent.”

This development is the latest in a series of electoral disputes in Ghana, with the NDC also seeking a fresh election in the Nsawam-Adoagyiri constituency, citing the use of invalid pink sheets to collate the election results.