The High Court in Nalerigu, in the North East Region, has issued a temporary injunction preventing the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and its representatives from carrying out the scheduled polling station elections in the Bunkpurugu Constituency.
This order, which was granted on May 8, 2026, follows an ex-parte motion submitted by Konlan Yennuyiab along with 16 other plaintiffs, all of whom are identified as members in good standing of the party.
They contested the electoral process due to alleged infractions of party regulations and violations of natural justice.
Justice Samuel Bright Acquah, the presiding judge, determined that the applicants possessed the legal standing to initiate the case and that the evidence presented to the court indicated that certain aspects of the party’s own rules had been violated.
The court noted that permitting the elections to occur as planned between May 10 and May 15 could inflict “irreparable, irreversible or irredeemable damage” to the plaintiffs and might render the final ruling ineffective.
Consequently, the court has prohibited the NPP, along with its agents, assigns, privies, and any individuals acting under its authority, from organizing or conducting the polling station elections in the constituency until a further legal resolution is reached.
In an interview monitored by The Ghana Report with JoyNews following the proceedings, Solomon Bitian Damtar, the attorney representing the 17 applicants, characterised the grounds for the disqualification of his clients as “appalling”.
“Some of the reasons cited are that they are not registered members of the New Patriotic Party in the constituency. This is a blatant falsehood, as these individuals are qualified members with their dues fully paid. They are members in good standing who participated in the recently concluded 2026 presidential primaries of the New Patriotic Party”.
The lawyer further stated that the party did not provide the vetting results within the timeframes outlined by its own electoral guidelines, thus denying the affected individuals the chance to engage in internal dispute resolution processes prior to the elections.
Mr. Damtar further contended that results from certain electoral areas had not yet been disclosed at the time the case was adjudicated, leading to uncertainty for candidates aiming to contest their disqualification or gain entry into the electoral process.
He claimed that the disqualifications were intentionally devised and executed by the Constituency Executive Committee of the NPP to prevent specific members from participating in the elections.
He also asserted that politics is essentially a numbers game and warned against the exclusion of dedicated party members for personal or political motives.
He maintained that the electoral process within the constituency had been tainted by irregularities, procedural errors, and violations of natural justice, necessitating judicial intervention.
He also revealed intentions to submit a motion for an interlocutory injunction within the designated timeframe to uphold the suspension of the elections until the main case is thoroughly heard and resolved.
However, he remarked that the issue could still be amicably settled if the party leadership at the constituency, regional, or national levels engages with the affected candidates and allows them the chance to compete.
Counsel further indicated that his clients were not seeking extended litigation but were instead pursuing fairness, transparency, and equal opportunity for all eligible candidates.
He emphasised that persons disqualified from participating in party elections must receive a fair hearing and clear justifications for their exclusion, in accordance with the principles of natural justice.
