The Electoral Commission (EC) has officially scheduled a rerun of the Kpandai Constituency Parliamentary Election for Tuesday, December 30, 2025, following a directive from the Tamale High Court and a subsequent notice from Parliament declaring the seat vacant.
The announcement was made in a press statement issued on December 10, 2025, and signed by Mr. Fred Tetteh, Deputy Director of the Research, Monitoring, and Evaluation Department of the Commission.
The decision comes after the High Court, presided over by His Lordship Justice Emmanuel Brew Plange, ruled on November 24, 2025, that significant breaches of the Public Elections Regulations occurred during the December 7, 2024 parliamentary election in Kpandai.
The court held that the violations were substantial and widespread enough to render the outcome invalid, concluding that “the results in their entirety could not be upheld.” As mandated by law, the court ordered a rerun within 30 days.
On December 9, 2025, the Clerk to Parliament formally notified the Electoral Commission of a vacancy in the Kpandai seat, paving the way for the Commission to initiate arrangements for a new poll. The EC’s statement underscored that only the three candidates who contested the 2024 election will be eligible to take part in the rerun.
This includes the National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate, Mr. Daniel Nsala Wakpal; the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) candidate, Hon. Matthew Nyindam; and the third contender whose candidacy formed part of the original race.
The Kpandai contest has been one of the most keenly scrutinised electoral disputes since the 2024 general elections. The legal challenge was initiated by Mr. Wakpal of the NDC, who petitioned the High Court to annul the declaration of Hon. Nyindam as the winner. His petition alleged procedural breaches and irregularities significant enough to affect the integrity of the polls.
Justice Brew Plange’s ruling affirmed these concerns, stating that the infractions identified were neither isolated nor negligible. By declaring the entire results invalid, the court placed the responsibility on the EC to give the electorate of Kpandai another opportunity to choose their representative under conditions that meet constitutional and regulatory standards.
However, the ruling has triggered sharp disagreement and political tension, particularly within the Minority Caucus in Parliament. In a strongly worded statement led by Minority Leader Hon. Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, the Caucus expressed profound dissatisfaction with the judgement.
They described the court’s conclusion as “troubling,” insisting that the election had been conducted transparently and that the results reflected the genuine will of the people of Kpandai.
The Minority further argued that the evidence presented during the trial did not justify nullifying the entire election. Their statement, released in Accra, challenged the legal basis for the court’s finding, calling into question what they described as ambiguous standards used to assess widespread breaches.
They warned that such precedents could distort electoral justice if not carefully scrutinised. The Minority’s position has added fuel to an already animated public debate, with sections of the public, civil society organisations, and legal analysts weighing in.
While some agree that electoral irregularities—when sufficiently grave—should compel a rerun, others express concern over what they perceive as inconsistent judicial thresholds in election-related cases.
Legal experts have emphasised that determining the material impact of irregularities on an election remains one of the most contentious areas of electoral jurisprudence.
Adherence to the Law
For the Electoral Commission, however, the focus remains on adhering to the law and ensuring a credible rerun. The EC has assured the public that preparations are underway to organise a transparent, orderly, and professionally managed poll on December 30.
The Commission has not yet released a full operational schedule for the exercise, but officials are expected to deploy enhanced systems, monitoring mechanisms, and logistical support to forestall a repeat of the issues cited by the court.
The upcoming rerun is expected to draw national attention, particularly as it offers both major political parties an opportunity to solidify or reclaim parliamentary numbers in Parliament. Political analysts predict an intense campaign period ahead, with both the NDC and NPP likely to mobilise substantial resources to sway the electorate.
As the date approaches, observers will be watching how effectively the EC addresses past shortcomings and whether the rerun yields a decisive outcome capable of restoring confidence in the constituency’s electoral processes.
For the people of Kpandai, the rerun presents a renewed chance to assert their democratic choice under conditions that the court—and the law—insist must meet the highest standards of transparency and fairness.
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