Court orders EC to recollate Ablekuma North, Nsawam-Adoagyiri results

The High Court has ordered the Electoral Commission (EC) to recollate and announce the results for the Ablekuma North and Nsawam-Adoagyiri constituencies, nullifying earlier announcements.

The directive follows a judicial review initiated by six dissatisfied New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidates, who sought a mandamus order compelling the EC to recollate and announce the election results. They also requested a directive for the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to provide adequate security at collation centers to enable the EC to carry out its constitutional duties without interference.

The candidates, who contested in Tema Central, Nsawam-Adoagyiri, Okaikwei Central, Techiman South, Ablekuma North, and Ahafo Ano North, highlighted irregularities in the results collation process and subsequent announcements of winners.

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) attempted to join the case by filing a motion for joinder, but the Court dismissed the motion, ruling that the NDC lacked sufficient grounds for inclusion.

Delivering the ruling on Friday, December 20, presiding judge Joseph Adu Owusu Agyeman instructed the EC to recollate the results for Ablekuma North, despite objections raised by NDC lawyers, led by Godwin Edudzi Tamaklo.

This development follows the EC’s announcement on December 19 nullifying the parliamentary results for Dome Kwabenya, Okaikwei Central, and Ablekuma North. The EC cited procedural breaches and threats to its staff during the collation process as reasons for its decision.

At a press briefing in Accra on December 19, EC Chairperson Jean Mensa detailed the irregularities, stating that the results for Okaikwei Central and Ablekuma North were declared without proper collation, with significant omissions:

Okaikwei Central: Results from 31 polling stations were excluded.

Ablekuma North: Results from 62 polling stations were not collated.

“In the case of Okaikwei Central, the winner was declared without collating results from 31 polling stations. In the case of the Ablekuma North, a winner was declared without collating results from 62 polling stations.

“This is unacceptable, the declarations were made under threats and the Commission considers these as illegal. Those declarations similar in other constituencies will not be upheld.”

Out of 12 constituencies flagged for re-collation, the EC has successfully completed the process for Suhum, Akwatia, and Fanteakwa North. However, the contested results in Okaikwei Central and Ablekuma North remain unresolved due to the irregularities.