EC’s Administrative Failures Triggered Kpandai Rerun – Franklin Cudjoe

President of policy think tank IMANI Africa, Franklin Cudjoe, has placed responsibility for the ongoing Kpandai parliamentary election controversy squarely on the Electoral Commission (EC), accusing the body of poor coordination and weak results management.

Speaking on Channel One TV’s The Big Issue on Saturday, December 13, Cudjoe argued that the circumstances that led to the court-ordered rerun were the result of administrative lapses by the EC, rather than misconduct by any of the candidates involved.

Collation Process at the Heart of Dispute

According to Cudjoe, the controversy surrounding the Kpandai election stemmed from the EC’s failure to properly supervise and manage the collation process, which eventually prompted legal action.

He maintained that the problems could have been avoided if the Commission had exercised stronger oversight, describing the situation as an unnecessary setback to Ghana’s electoral credibility.

“The issues surrounding the collation clearly point to the Electoral Commission’s failure. Allowing such lapses to occur is unacceptable, and the EC must be held accountable,” he said.

Confidence in NPP Victory

Despite the rerun, Cudjoe expressed confidence that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) candidate, Matthew Nyindam, who was initially declared winner of the 2024 parliamentary election, would emerge victorious again.

He described the rerun as unfair to the candidate he believes legitimately won the contest, calling the entire process a disservice to voters in the constituency.

“I feel genuinely disappointed by how this has turned out. It is unfair to the candidate who won, and I hope he wins again. I am not sure what the NDC seeks to gain by pushing for additional seats,” he remarked.

Background to the Rerun

The controversy follows a ruling by the Tamale High Court, which annulled the 2024 parliamentary election results in Kpandai after a petition by NDC candidate Nsala Wakpal.

The NDC challenged the outcome on grounds that the final collation of results was conducted in the absence of its candidate or an accredited representative, raising concerns about transparency and procedural fairness.

Following the court’s decision and Parliament’s subsequent declaration that the seat is vacant, the Electoral Commission scheduled a rerun for Tuesday, December 30, 2025.

The rerun will feature the same three candidates who contested the seat in the 2024 parliamentary election.