Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has declared that parliamentary candidates whose election results were annulled by the Supreme Court are not eligible to be sworn in as Members of Parliament.
This announcement follows a landmark ruling by the Supreme Court on Friday, December 27, 2024, which nullified the re-collated results in four constituencies: Okaikwei Central, Ablekuma North, Tema Central, and Techiman South.
The Supreme Court’s decision overturned an earlier directive by the High Court on December 20, which had instructed the Electoral Commission (EC) to re-collate results in nine disputed constituencies.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) had filed a legal challenge, arguing that the re-collation process was unlawful and exceeded the court’s jurisdiction, thereby undermining the transparency and credibility of the electoral process.
In a statement made in Parliament on Saturday, Speaker Bagbin emphasized that the annulled results render the affected candidates ineligible to assume office.
He noted that his stance aligns with the Supreme Court ruling, which he said reinforced his position on the matter.
“The decision of the Supreme Court just followed the position I took before they even delivered their decision. To become a member of parliament, you have to be elected by the voter and declared by the Electoral Commission. But you also have to be sworn in by the Speaker,” Bagbin explained.
He elaborated further, stating that the re-collation and re-declarations were “completely null and void” and not recognized by law. “Until you are sworn in by the Speaker, you remain an MP-elect.
Some of those re-collations were unknown to the law, and therefore, these individuals are not qualified to be sworn in,” he added.
Bagbin’s remarks underscore the critical role of procedural integrity in Ghana’s parliamentary processes. He expressed his commitment to ensuring that the right procedures are followed to uphold the credibility of the country’s democratic institutions. “I’m the gatekeeper. The right thing must be done for us to be able to reset Ghana,” he affirmed.
The annulment of results for the four constituencies has significant implications for the composition of the 2025 Parliament, as it raises questions about the representation of voters in these areas. The Electoral Commission and other stakeholders are yet to comment on the way forward regarding the affected constituencies.
