An Accra High Court has dismissed a legal challenge from Nana Akua Afriyie, the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) parliamentary candidate for Ablekuma North, effectively allowing the Electoral Commission (EC) to proceed with a scheduled rerun of elections in 19 polling stations within the constituency.

The rerun, slated for July 11, is part of a protracted effort to resolve the disputed results of the December 7, 2024, parliamentary vote. In a ruling delivered Monday, Justice Ali Baba Abature rejected Ms. Afriyie’s application for an interim injunction, calling the motion “unmeritorious” and asserting that the constitutional duty of the EC to ensure democratic representation outweighs the candidate’s objections.

“The balance of convenience lies in allowing the Electoral Commission to carry out its mandate,” Justice Abature stated in court.

Ms. Afriyie had argued that the EC’s move to organize a rerun contradicted a January 4, 2025, High Court decision, which ordered the commission to collate results from 62 uncounted polling stations and declare a winner based on votes already cast.

Represented by party lawyer Gary Nimako, the NPP candidate cited a January 27 press release from the EC and a subsequent parliamentary update by Deputy Electoral Commissioner Bossman Asare, which indicated that only three polling stations remained uncollated at the time. Based on this, Ms. Afriyie’s legal team contended the EC had no grounds for initiating a broader rerun.

However, the court ruled that these assertions did not override the EC’s constitutional obligation to complete the electoral process in a manner that reflects the will of the people.

With the court’s decision, the Electoral Commission is now free to conduct the rerun vote in the 19 contested polling stations on July 11. The outcome is expected to resolve the lingering uncertainty over representation in Ablekuma North, a constituency that remains without a sitting Member of Parliament due to the electoral dispute.

Source:TheDotNews