Supreme Court quashes re-collated results for Okaikwei Central, Tema Central, two others

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The Supreme Court has annulled re-collated parliamentary election results for Okaikwei Central, Ablekuma North, Tema Central, and Techiman South, overturning the Electoral Commission’s (EC) declarations for these constituencies.

The ruling comes amidst intense legal and political disputes surrounding the re-collation process.

The court, however, upheld the re-collated results for Nsawam Adoagyiri and Ahafo Ano North, leaving them unaffected by the decision.

This landmark judgment highlights the judiciary’s pivotal role in addressing electoral irregularities and ensuring strict adherence to constitutional and procedural requirements.

The ruling follows the National Democratic Congress’s (NDC) legal challenge to a controversial High Court order from December 20, which directed the EC to re-collate results in nine disputed constituencies.

The EC has so far carried out the directive in seven of the nine constituencies, all won by New Patriotic Party (NPP) candidates. However, results for Dome/Kwabenya and Ablekuma North remain unresolved.

The NDC vehemently opposed the re-collation process, describing it as unlawful and flawed. The party argues that the High Court exceeded its jurisdiction, undermining the transparency and integrity of the electoral process.

Delivering the ruling in Accra on Friday, Justice Gabriel Pwamang, presiding judge noted that “Since the orders which have been brought to be quashed are separate and distinct we have decided to exercise our discretionary power to quash by certiorari having required to the peculiar circumstances of each ruling.

“Consequently, we hereby quash the orders of mandamus made for collation of results by the EC in the following constituencies Okaikwei Central, Ablekuma North, Tema Central and Techiman South.”

The court ruled that the trial judge violated the NDC parliamentary candidates’ right to a fair hearing when they applied to the High Court.

This decision directly challenges the controversial re-collation conducted by the Electoral Commission and the subsequent declarations for the constituencies in question.

The court further clarified that, despite the annulment, the mandamus application remains active and is scheduled to be heard by the High Court on Tuesday, December 31.