SUPREME COURT QUASHES KPANDAI ELECTION PETITION RULING

Image: Matthew Nyindam, MP Kpandai
 

The Supreme Court of Ghana has quashed a High Court ruling that had annulled the 2024 parliamentary election results for the Kpandai constituency, restoring Matthew Nyindam of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) as the duly elected Member of Parliament (MP) for the area.

In a 4-1 majority decision delivered on January 28, 2026, the apex court upheld Nyindam's application for certiorari, effectively overturning the earlier judgment from the Tamale High Court. Justice Gabriel Pwamang dissented from the majority opinion.

The ruling brings an end to a prolonged legal battle that began after the December 7, 2024, general elections, where Nyindam was initially declared the winner with a significant margin over his main rival, Daniel Nsala Wakpal of the National Democratic Congress (NDC). Wakpal filed an election petition challenging the results, citing alleged irregularities, which the High Court upheld in November 2025, annulling the election and ordering a rerun.

Nyindam challenged the High Court's decision at the Supreme Court, arguing that the petition was filed outside the mandatory 21-day window stipulated under Ghana's electoral laws following the gazetting of results by the Electoral Commission (EC). He contended that the relevant gazette date was December 24, 2024, rendering the petition time-barred and the High Court without jurisdiction to hear it.

The Supreme Court agreed with this position in its majority ruling, quashing the High Court judgment and all related proceedings. As a result, no rerun election will take place, and Nyindam's victory from the 2024 polls stands confirmed. This decision reinforces his position in Parliament and bolsters the NPP's representation in the House.

The case highlighted complexities arising from the EC's issuance of multiple gazette notices during the 2024 election period, including one on January 6, 2025, which the NDC had argued should reset the filing timeline. However, the Supreme Court's verdict prioritized the initial gazette date, setting a key precedent on jurisdictional timelines in election petitions.











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