The Electoral Commission (EC) has clarified that only the candidates who contested the 2024 parliamentary election in Kpandai will be eligible to participate in the rerun mandated by the Tamale High Court, amid mounting political tensions in the Northern Region constituency.
Deputy Director of Research at the EC, Mr. Fred Tetteh, confirmed on Tuesday that the Commission will not open nominations to new candidates. Only the New Patriotic Party (NPP), National Democratic Congress (NDC), and All People’s Congress (APC) candidates from the 2024 polls will feature in the rerun.
Court Decision Triggers Fresh Political Battle
The High Court in November 2025 annulled the election of Mr. Matthew Nyindam (NPP) following a petition citing electoral irregularities, directing that a new parliamentary election be conducted within 30 days. Parliament has since notified the EC of the resultant vacancy, but the Commission has yet to fix a date for the rerun.
Mr. Tetteh explained that the EC is carefully reviewing the court’s directives and Parliament’s notice before taking the next procedural steps. “Preparations are ongoing, and once the Commission meets, an official date will be communicated,” he said.
NPP Challenges Entire Rerun Decision
While the NDC has welcomed the High Court ruling, the NPP has raised objections, questioning why the entire constituency election must be rerun instead of addressing only the polling stations affected by irregularities.
Mr. Nyindam has filed notices of appeal and a stay of execution against the court decision. The NPP also criticised the Clerk of Parliament, Mr. Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, for notifying the EC of the vacancy before the outcome of the appeal process.
Rerun Likely to Be Closely Contested
The Kpandai Constituency recorded tight margins in the annulled 2024 election: Mr. Nyindam won 27,947 votes (53.47%), while his NDC rival, Mr. Daniel Nsala Wakpal, polled 24,213 votes (46.33%). The APC candidate, Mr. Donkor Eric Nipani, secured 104 votes.
With 152 polling stations and a voter population of 66,850, political analysts predict a closely fought rerun, with both major parties mobilising supporters amid legal uncertainty.
The EC is expected to announce a timetable for the rerun in the coming days, setting the stage for a high-stakes political contest in Kpandai.
