BY Daniel Bampoe
The long-running tensions surrounding the Kpandai parliamentary seat have taken a dramatic turn after the Tamale High Court nullified the 2024 parliamentary election results and directed the Electoral Commission (EC) to conduct a fresh poll within 30 days.
The decision marks one of the most significant courtroom interventions in the aftermath of the contentious December 7, 2024 elections.
Presided over by Justice Emmanuel Brew Plange, the High Court concluded that the conduct of the Kpandai parliamentary election did not sufficiently comply with key provisions of the Public Elections Regulations (CI 127).
This ruling followed a petition filed by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary candidate, Daniel Nsala Wakpal, who challenged the legitimacy of the vote that had declared Matthew Nyindam of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) winner.
A Petition Rooted in Alleged Electoral Breaches
Daniel Wakpal’s argument centered on alleged irregularities recorded in Form 8A, popularly known as the pink sheet, from 41 polling stations out of the 152 that make up the Kpandai constituency.
According to him, discrepancies in figures, unsigned sheets, and procedural lapses amounted to a direct violation of Regulations 39 and 43 of CI 127, which govern ballot accounting and proper collation processes.
These irregularities, he argued, were substantial enough to affect the outcome of the election—an argument the court ultimately upheld.
Court’s Grounds for Annulment
In a decisive ruling, Justice Plange held that the electoral breaches identified were not minor administrative errors but material violations capable of altering the will of the electorate.
The judgment emphasized that the credibility of an election rests not only on the final tally but on adherence to every safeguard provided in the law to protect the integrity of the ballot.
As such, the EC was ordered to organise a complete constituency-wide re-run of the parliamentary election rather than limiting the exercise to affected polling stations.
The judge also noted that restoring public trust was paramount, particularly in a constituency where electoral tensions had been historically high.
The Election Day That Sparked The Dispute
The December 7 polls in Kpandai were fraught with tensions that foreshadowed the legal battle to come. Collation was disrupted amid accusations of vote tampering, with NDC supporters alleging attempts to manipulate final figures.
Reports from the collation centre indicated chaotic scenes involving the removal of biometric verification devices (BVRs), destruction of ballot materials, and heightened agitation.
The situation escalated to the point that security personnel were deployed to restore order.
Observers at the time noted that Kpandai had become one of the hotspots in the Northern Region where both major political parties anticipated a tight race.
A Seat Steeped in Political History
The Kpandai seat has long been politically strategic. Incumbent MP Matthew Nyindam, a prominent figure within the NPP, was declared winner by a margin of 3,434 votes in 2024.
Matthew Nyindam has an unusual political record: he previously held the seat for eight years through “skirt-and-blouse” voting patterns—where constituents split their votes between different parties for parliamentary and presidential ballots.
In the Fourth Republic, only Ambrose Dery of Nandom has matched this electoral phenomenon.
Given this background, the constituency’s political future has national implications, making the court’s ruling even more consequential.
What Next?
Though the court’s directive mandates a fresh poll within 30 days, political watchers anticipate an appeal from the NPP side, which means the matter may likely escalate to the Court of Appeal.
Until then, the EC faces intense scrutiny as it prepares—under judicial instruction—to restore confidence in one of the most hotly contested seats of the last general election.
Meanwhile, Matthew Nyindam files notice of appeal and stay of execution against Tamale High Court’s order for a rerun of the parliamentary election.
