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Speaker Bagbin: Annulled Parliamentary Candidates Ineligible for Swearing-In
Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has declared that parliamentary candidates whose election results were annulled by the Supreme Court on December 27, 2024, will not be sworn in as Members of Parliament on January 6, 2025.
This development comes after the Supreme Court nullified recollated results for the Okaikwei Central, Ablekuma North, Tema Central, and Techiman South constituencies. The Court cited irregularities in the recollation process as the basis for its decision.
The ruling followed a legal challenge by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) against a High Court decision issued on December 20.
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The High Court had directed the Electoral Commission (EC) to recollate parliamentary election results in nine disputed constituencies.
The Supreme Court’s decision invalidated the outcomes of four constituencies, effectively disqualifying the affected candidates from taking their seats in the next Parliament.
The NDC vehemently opposed the High Court’s directive, describing the recollation process as unlawful and without merit. The party argued that the High Court exceeded its jurisdiction and undermined the transparency and credibility of the electoral process.
“The recollation order lacked a legal basis and threatened the integrity of Ghana’s electoral system,” an NDC spokesperson stated following the Supreme Court’s ruling.
Speaker Bagbin’s announcement reinforces the Supreme Court’s decision, barring the affected candidates from being sworn into the 9th Parliament.
“The annulled results render the candidates ineligible to assume their parliamentary roles. Parliament must respect the rule of law and the decision of the highest court,” Speaker Bagbin emphasised.
The Supreme Court’s ruling and the Speaker’s stance add to the post-election controversies that have marked Ghana’s political landscape.
The annulment of results in the four constituencies raises questions about the conduct of the recollation process and the broader management of disputed elections.
