The Tamale High Court has annulled the results of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Walewale Constituency parliamentary primary, citing significant irregularities. Presided over by Justice Richard Kogjawah, the court ruled on Monday morning that a rerun of the primary must be conducted.
In his ruling, Justice Kogjawah highlighted that the election was marred by irregularities, impersonation, and overvoting, which compromised the integrity of the process.
The primary, held in January, saw Dr. Kabiru Mahama, a special advisor to the Vice President, narrowly defeat Hajia Lariba in a closely contested race. Dr. Kabiru secured 345 votes, while Hajia Lariba received 338 votes.
Dissatisfied with the narrow loss and alleging electoral irregularities and malpractice, the incumbent Member of Parliament (MP), Hajia Lariba, challenged the results in court on January 27. Her legal action has now resulted in the annulment of the primary and the ordering of a rerun to ensure a fair and transparent election process.