The High Court has directed the Electoral Commission (EC) to recollate and announce the election results for the Ablekuma North and Nsawam-Adoagyiri constituencies, effectively nullifying the earlier announcements.
The ruling follows a judicial review filed by six New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidates who sought a mandamus order for the EC to recollate and declare the correct results.
They also requested a directive for the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to ensure adequate security at collation centers, safeguarding the EC’s ability to carry out its duties without interference.
The candidates, who contested in Tema Central, Nsawam-Adoagyiri, Okaikwei Central, Techiman South, Ablekuma North, and Ahafo Ano North, raised concerns over irregularities in the results collation process and the subsequent declarations of winners.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) attempted to join the case through a motion for joinder, but the Court dismissed it, stating that the NDC did not present sufficient grounds for inclusion.
On December 20, presiding judge Joseph Adu Owusu Agyeman instructed the EC to recollate the results for Ablekuma North, despite objections from NDC lawyers, led by Godwin Edudzi Tamaklo.
This decision follows the EC’s announcement on December 19, which nullified the parliamentary results for Dome Kwabenya, Okaikwei Central, and Ablekuma North, citing procedural breaches and threats to its staff during the collation process.
In a press briefing, EC Chairperson Jean Mensa outlined the irregularities, revealing that the results for Okaikwei Central and Ablekuma North were declared without proper collation, with significant omissions.
Okaikwei Central: Results from 31 polling stations were excluded.
Ablekuma North: Results from 62 polling stations were not collated.
“In the case of Okaikwei Central, the winner was declared without collating results from 31 polling stations. In the case of the Ablekuma North, a winner was declared without collating results from 62 polling stations.
“This is unacceptable, the declarations were made under threats and the Commission considers these as illegal. Those declarations similar in other constituencies will not be upheld.”
Out of 12 constituencies flagged for re-collation, the EC has successfully completed the process for Suhum, Akwatia, and Fanteakwa North. However, the contested results in Okaikwei Central and Ablekuma North remain unresolved due to the irregularities.
