Wednesday, 14 January

Kpandai rerun: Supreme Court adjourns ruling to January 28

News
NPP candidate Matthew Nyindam and NDC candidate, Daniel Nsala Wakpal

Uncertainty continues to surround the political destiny of the Kpandai Constituency after the Supreme Court postponed its decision on a key legal dispute to January 28, 2026.

A five-judge panel of the apex court, chaired by Justice Gabriel Pwamang, fixed the new date after listening to submissions from both parties involved in the case.

Proceedings at the court attracted strong interest, with senior figures from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) filling the courtroom. Several Members of Parliament were also present to show support, as the case directly affects the parliamentary seat held by Matthew Nyindam.

At the centre of the matter is an application for certiorari brought before the Supreme Court by Mr Nyindam, the sitting NPP Member of Parliament for Kpandai. He is challenging a decision delivered by the Tamale High Court in November 2025, which nullified his victory in the 2024 parliamentary elections and directed that a new election be held within 30 days.

Lawyers for Mr Nyindam, led by Gary Nimako, argued that the election petition initiated by the NDC candidate, Daniel Nsala Wakpal, was procedurally defective. According to them, the petition was filed 32 days after the official publication of the election results, exceeding the 21-day period allowed under the 1992 Constitution.

On that basis, they maintained that the High Court did not have the legal authority to hear the petition or to overturn the election outcome.

The controversy began when the Tamale High Court, with Justice Emmanuel Plange Brew presiding, ruled that there were extensive irregularities at about 41 polling stations. The court concluded that the anomalies were substantial enough to affect the final result, in which Mr Nyindam secured 27,647 votes, representing 53.47 per cent, while Mr Wakpal polled 24,213 votes, equivalent to 46.33 per cent.

After the High Court’s ruling, the Electoral Commission had planned to conduct a by-election on December 30, 2025. That plan was halted on December 16, 2025, when the Supreme Court granted a stay of execution, suspending all preparations until the jurisdictional question is finally determined.

 

Commenting on the latest development, the Member of Parliament for South Dayi and Majority Chief Whip, Rockson Nelson Dafeamakpor, expressed confidence that the NDC will ultimately prevail.

Source: Classfmonline.com/Zita Okwang