The Supreme Court has overturned a High Court judgment that annulled the election of the New Patriotic Party’s Matthew Nyindam as Member of Parliament for Kpandai, restoring him to the seat he won in the 2024 general elections.
In a 4-1 majority decision delivered on Tuesday, the apex court quashed the Cape Coast High Court’s ruling, with Justice Pwamang dissenting.
The ruling brings to an end months of legal uncertainty over the Kpandai parliamentary seat, which has been at the centre of a protracted electoral dispute since the December 2024 polls.
Background to the dispute
The legal battle began after the Cape Coast High Court, presided over by Justice Richard Kogyapwah, annulled Nyindam’s election following a petition filed by the National Democratic Congress parliamentary candidate.
The petitioner had challenged the validity of the election results, citing irregularities in the electoral process that allegedly affected the outcome of the polls.
Nyindam, dissatisfied with the High Court’s decision, filed an appeal at the Supreme Court seeking to overturn the ruling and have his mandate restored.
The case had drawn significant attention given the closely contested nature of the 2024 parliamentary elections and the NDC’s slim majority in the current Parliament.
Political implications
The Supreme Court’s decision means Nyindam will retain his seat in Parliament, strengthening the NPP’s numerical strength in the House.
The ruling also sets an important precedent for how electoral disputes are adjudicated at the highest level of Ghana’s judicial system.
Legal experts are expected to analyse the full judgment, particularly Justice Pwamang’s dissenting opinion, once the court’s detailed reasoning is made public.
The Kpandai constituency, located in the Northern Region, has historically been a competitive seat between the two major political parties.
Further details about the Supreme Court’s reasoning and the specific grounds on which the High Court judgment was quashed are expected to emerge as the full ruling becomes available.
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Source: www.myjoyonline.com
