The Deputy Director of Elections of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mahdi Gibril, has expressed confidence in the outcome of the court process but raised concerns about the technical issues surrounding the case, particularly the 21-day gazette requirement.
According to him, the ongoing electoral proceedings have nothing to do with the NDC as a political party. Rather, he believes the responsibility lies with the Electoral Commission (EC) to ensure that all relevant details and information are clearly presented to the NDC as a party to the case.
Mr. Gibril further stated that he feels encouraged to speak out as a proud Ghanaian, noting that the “reset” agenda under President John Dramani Mahama is positively impacting state institutions. He argued that the Judiciary is now adjudicating cases without political colouration, unlike what he described as the situation under the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration.
He also cautioned against attempts to portray the judiciary as politically biased, particularly following the Supreme Court’s ruling in favour of the NPP in the Kpandai parliamentary seat case. According to him, claims that the courts are dominated by NDC-affiliated judges are unfounded and misleading.
In a related development, the National Coordinator of the District Road Improvement Programme, Nii Lante Vanderpuye, has advised the NDC to abandon plans to seek a review of the Supreme Court’s judgment on the Kpandai parliamentary election, warning that such a move would amount to a waste of time and resources.
Mr. Vanderpuye argued that prolonged election-related litigation often drags on for years without yielding meaningful benefits, while draining the morale and energy of candidates and political parties. He maintained that such legal battles tend to weaken, rather than strengthen, political prospects.
According to him, where there is no strong factual or legal basis for a review, it is wiser to accept the court’s decision and reorganize for the future.
“Falling is not the end of your life. Sometimes it is better to go back, reflect, and come back again. If they believe they have sufficient facts and evidence to justify a review of the Supreme Court’s decision, then that is fine. Otherwise, I think it will be a fruitless exercise,” he said.
His comments come amid indications that the NDC intends to seek a review of the Supreme Court’s ruling after studying the certified true copy of the judgment, insisting that the case is not over.
On Wednesday, January 28, the Supreme Court set aside a Tamale High Court ruling that had annulled the parliamentary election results in the Kpandai Constituency of the Northern Region. The decision also halted the Electoral Commission’s planned rerun of the election.