Supreme Court to Rule on Kpandai Election Case on January 28
The apex court will decide whether to overturn the High Court’s annulment of the Kpandai parliamentary election and the order for a fresh by-election.
- The Supreme Court has scheduled January 28, 2026, to deliver its ruling on the Kpandai parliamentary election dispute
- The case challenges a High Court decision that annulled the election of NPP MP Matthew Nyindam and ordered a by-election
- The ruling will determine the validity of the election petition timeline and whether the planned by-election can proceed
The Supreme Court has fixed January 28, 2026, to deliver its decision on whether to overturn a High Court ruling that annulled the parliamentary election results in Kpandai in the Northern Region.
The legal battle follows a judgment by the Tamale High Court, which nullified the election of New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament, Matthew Nyindam, after a petition filed by National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate, Daniel Nsala Wakpal. The High Court subsequently ordered a fresh by-election.
In response to the ruling, the Electoral Commission (EC) scheduled the rerun for December 31, 2025. However, the process was suspended after Mr. Nyindam appealed to the Supreme Court, asking it to quash the High Court’s decision.
Mr. Nyindam’s legal team argues that the High Court lacked jurisdiction to hear the case, insisting that the petition was filed outside the constitutionally mandated 21-day period. According to them, the Kpandai election results were gazetted on December 24, 2024, making the January 25, 2025, petition time-barred and rendering the nullification and rerun order invalid.
Counsel for Mr. Wakpal has strongly disputed this claim, maintaining that the High Court acted within its constitutional mandate under Article 99 of the 1992 Constitution. They contend that the results were re-gazetted on January 6, 2025, which marked the start of the 21-day window, making the petition valid. They further argue that Mr. Nyindam relied on the January 6 gazette during the High Court proceedings and cannot now challenge its legitimacy.
The Electoral Commission has confirmed that election results were gazetted in batches, acknowledging both the December 24, 2024, and January 6, 2025, publications.
Until the Supreme Court delivers its ruling, the suspension of the Kpandai by-election remains in force. The outcome is expected to have far-reaching implications, not only for the constituency but also for how election petition timelines are interpreted under Ghana’s electoral laws.
