Supreme Court Orders Reassignment of NPP Election Petitions, Set to Expedite Hearing

The Supreme Court of Ghana has intervened in the ongoing election petition saga by ordering the reassignment of petitions filed by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to a different High Court judge.

This ruling comes after the Supreme Court quashed earlier orders issued by the original judge, citing concerns about potential bias.

The NPP had filed mandamus applications in the High Court, requesting the Electoral Commission (EC) to re-collate election results in nine constituencies where they believed irregularities had occurred. Initially, the High Court granted the NPP’s request, leading to the re-collation of results in seven constituencies.

However, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) challenged these orders, arguing they were illegal and procedurally flawed. On Thursday, December 27, 2024, the Supreme Court upheld the NDC’s challenge, emphasizing that while the petitions themselves remain valid, the previous orders were quashed due to procedural concerns.

The Supreme Court’s ruling also directed that the petitions be heard by a different High Court judge in order to maintain the integrity of the judicial process. This reassignment is expected to have significant implications on the ongoing election disputes.

Given the time constraints imposed by the national electoral calendar, the Supreme Court has expedited the process, setting a deadline for the new judge to hear and determine the petitions by December 31, 2024. The outcome of these petitions will have a critical influence on the final results of the parliamentary elections in the affected constituencies.