The Minority Caucus in Parliament has called for the immediate cancellation of all administrative steps or public notices suggesting that the Kpandai parliamentary seat is vacant, following a Supreme Court ruling that restored the mandate of Matthew Nyindam.
The call follows the apex court’s decision to overturn an earlier judgment by the Tamale High Court, which had nullified the 2024 parliamentary election in the constituency and ordered a rerun.
In a statement welcoming the ruling, the Minority said all records within Parliament and the Electoral Commission must be corrected to reflect the legal position that Mr Nyindam remains the legitimately elected Member of Parliament for Kpandai.
On Wednesday, January 28, the Supreme Court, in a 4–1 majority decision, quashed the High Court’s ruling on the grounds that the election petition was filed outside the timelines prescribed by law. The court held that the delay deprived the High Court of the jurisdiction to hear the matter.
According to the Minority, the judgment reinforces constitutional authority, respect for due process, and the principle that election outcomes should not be unsettled outside clearly defined legal procedures.
“The effect of this ruling is that there will be no rerun in Kpandai and that Hon. Matthew Nyindam remains, in law and in fact, the duly elected Member of Parliament for the Kpandai constituency,” the caucus stated.
The Minority warned that no institution has the power to alter electoral outcomes after results have been validly declared and gazetted, stressing that any action founded on a petition filed beyond the statutory period is legally ineffective.
Beyond withdrawing vacancy notices, the caucus urged Parliament, under the leadership of Speaker Alban S. K. Bagbin, to review its internal processes to prevent future instances where seats are declared vacant while court proceedings, including appeals or applications for stay, are still pending.
They also appealed to both sides of the House to uphold parliamentary conventions by respecting the hierarchy of courts and awaiting final judicial determinations before taking actions that could affect representation.
To support their position, the Minority cited past cases such as Abodakpi, Sakande, Nyimakan and Quayson, where Parliament exercised restraint until all legal processes were exhausted.
The caucus described the Supreme Court’s ruling as a significant affirmation of democratic choice, saying it restores the clear mandate given by the people of Kpandai at the polls.
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Read the full statement below
