The High Court on Saturday, January 4th 2025, directed the Electoral Commission (EC) to collate and declare results from 31 outstanding polling stations in the Okaikwei Central constituency.
The ruling follows an application by the New Patriotic Party (NPP), which argued that the initial declaration was incomplete and did not account for all polling stations.
Okaikwei Central dispute
The Okaikwei Central constituency has 141 polling stations, but the EC only collated results from 110 polling stations before making a declaration.
Security officers protecting the collation centre advised that the results be declared to prevent potential unrest from the messed-up supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Following the partial declaration, supporters of Baba Sadiq, the NDC parliamentary candidate, withdrew in jubilation, which de-escalated the tense situation.
However, the NPP later filed a legal challenge, arguing that the outstanding 31 polling stations must be included in the final tally to ensure transparency and fairness.
Court’s ruling
The High Court presided over by Justice Baah Forson Agyapong, granted the NDC’s application for a prerogative order of mandamus, compelling the EC to complete the collation process.
The court noted that the issues for determining a mandamus order had been met, including:
Justice Agyapong emphasised that the EC’s failure to complete the collation undermined the electoral process and warranted judicial intervention.
The court acknowledged that security concerns played a role in the initial declaration of results. The presence of security officers at the collation centre and their advice to declare the results after collating 110 polling stations was intended to prevent the destruction of property and ensure the safety of all parties involved.
To address ongoing security concerns, the court directed the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to provide adequate security
3news