… seeks court bailout as defeat looms
The political temperature in Ghana’s Ablekuma North constituency has hit boiling point, with the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) visibly rattled and desperately seeking judicial intervention to halt a crucial parliamentary rerun.
Insiders suggest the party, sensing an imminent defeat, has thrown a legal Hail Mary, filing an interlocutory injunction to block the Electoral Commission (EC) from proceeding with an exercise that could dramatically shift the balance of power.
The NPP’s National Youth Organiser, Salam Mustapha, has emerged as the party’s chief mouthpiece in this high-stakes drama, launching a blistering attack on the EC.
Mustapha openly lambasted the electoral body’s “unilateral” decision to conduct a rerun in 19 polling stations within the constituency, confirming that the NPP has, indeed, dragged the EC to court.
The EC’s rationale for the rerun is rooted in persistent disputes over the integrity of results from the December 7, 2024, general elections.
However, the NPP, clearly on the defensive, has dismissed the directive as “unfair,” claiming it was issued without stakeholder consensus – a convenient narrative as the political stakes escalate.
In a scathing indictment, Mustapha, as reported by Citinewsroom, accused the EC of setting a “troubling example” that threatens to “erode trust in Ghana’s electoral process.” His words carry the weight of a party fighting for its political life, painting a picture of an EC gone rogue.
“We have filed an interlocutory injunction in court. This cannot be allowed to happen. The EC has no authority to unilaterally call for reruns in selected polling stations.
If this is permitted, it creates a dangerous path in our electoral system, where a party sensing loss can cause chaos and demand reruns in areas of its choosing. This undermines democracy.
If the EC believes a rerun is needed, it should seek a court order,” Mustapha asserted, his voice dripping with a mix of defiance and apprehension.
A CONSTITUENCY IN LIMBO: SIX MONTHS OF STALEMATE
The Ablekuma North constituency has been an electoral battleground for over half a year, a glaring anomaly that has left its constituents without a voice in Parliament. The protracted stalemate stems from unresolved disputes over vote collation, a saga marked by accusations of fraud and political maneuvering.
The initial EC figures showed a razor-thin victory for the NPP’s Nana Akua Owusu Afriyie, who supposedly edged out the National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate, Ewurabena Aubynn, by a mere 414 votes (34,613 to 34,199).
But Aubynn and the NDC were quick to cry foul, rejecting the results and leveling serious allegations of “electoral fraud,” including “falsified pink sheets” and “alleged collusion with NPP agents.”
The plot thickened on January 17, when the collation process descended into chaos. Reports of vandalism at the EC’s Greater Accra office, allegedly involving NDC supporters, brought the process to a screeching halt.
Property was destroyed, including shattered louvre blades and doors, an act the NDC later explained as a “protest vigil” for accountability and transparency.
Further complicating matters, a mysterious fire in December 2024 consumed ballot materials stored overnight at a facility in Kwashieman.
This blaze, conveniently occurring amidst the dispute, cast a dark shadow of suspicion over the entire process, fueling doubts about the election’s credibility.
In June, the Minority Caucus, clearly frustrated by the EC’s foot-dragging, formally petitioned the Ghana Police Service, demanding adequate security to ensure a “smooth and credible re-collation process.”
This move underscored the deep distrust pervading the electoral environment.
During a parliamentary briefing on June 19, the EC, seemingly caught between a rock and a hard place, cited the “lack of legal guidance from the Attorney General’s Department” as the primary reason for the prolonged delay.
The Commission, in a clear sign of vulnerability, even appealed to Parliament for police protection for its officials and party agents.
Finally, on July 2, 2025, the EC, under immense pressure, bowed to the inevitable, announcing a rerun in 19 of the 37 polling stations. Their stated reason: “unverified scanned pink sheets.”
While the NDC, smelling victory, enthusiastically embraced the rerun, the NPP’s response was swift and furious.
They denounced the EC’s decision as an “overreach,” devoid of “legal justification,” and a dangerous precedent that could unravel Ghana’s fragile democracy.
As the court battle looms, the people of Ablekuma North wait, their representation in Parliament hanging by a thread, caught in a political tug-of-war for power.
By Prince Ahenkorah