High court grants application of NPP compelling EC to collate Tema Central Constituency results
Accra High Court has granted application of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) seeking the Electoral Commission (EC) to collate constituency results in the Tema Central Constituency of the Greater Accra Region.
In the case of Tema Central, Accra High Court’s General Jurisdiction 2, Justice Forson Agyapong said the EC did not collate the results from all the polling stations in the constituency before declaring the winner therefore grants the NPP’s application compelling the EC to collate the results.
He also stated that the person who declared the winner was not the returning officer as mandated by the electoral laws.
This ruling followed the court’s previous dismissal of an objection by the National Democratic Congress (NDC), which questioned the court’s jurisdiction on hearing the application. Before that, the NDC had insisted that its candidate, Ebi Bright had fairly won the parliamentary seat.
Meanwhile, the NPP lawyers had initially argued in court that it should compel the Electoral Commission (EC) to complete the collation of results in the affected constituencies.
Gary Nimako, leader of the team of lawyers for the NPP candidates, said “the EC has failed to complete the collation process between December 8, 2024, and January 1, 2025”
He noted that “the Electoral Commission itself acknowledged that the declarations were made without completing the collation of polling station results”
Nimako cited Regulation 43 of C.I. 127, stating that results must be documented on Forms 1C and 1D of the Electoral Commission and the absence of these forms in the exhibits cements the claim that the declarations was not properly made.
Justin Amenuvor who was the representative of the Electoral Commission supported the NPP’s Application and conceded that the collation processes in the affected constituencies remained incomplete and that court should give an order to allow it complete the process.
He further warned that failure of the court to issue such an order could set a dangerous precedent capable of breeding unlawful interference in future elections.
The judge then ordered the Electoral Commission to collate the results of the two outstanding polling stations and add to the already collated results.
The court also ordered the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to provide adequate security for the EC to act.
Story: Hannah Addae
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