NDC candidate takes EC to court for contempt in Kpandai dispute
The National Democratic Congress candidate for the Kpandai Constituency in the 2024 parliamentary race, Daniel Nsala Wakpal, has taken a fresh legal step by asking the Tamale High Court to commit the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Jean Mensa, for contempt.
Wakpal says the Electoral Commission has failed to carry out a court directive that ordered a rerun of the parliamentary election in Kpandai.
The order, issued on November 24, followed a ruling by Justice Emmanuel Bart Plange Brew, who instructed the Commission to organise a new poll within 30 days.
Court documents show that the EC Chairperson was officially served with the order a day later.
In his application, Wakpal argued that the Commission has made no move toward complying with the directive, a situation he describes as deeply worrying for both the constituents and the justice system.
The suit, titled The Republic versus Jean Mensa, outlines several attachments, including the proceedings from the ruling day, a certified copy of the court order, and proof of service.
Wakpal’s lawyers maintain that the inaction of the Electoral Commission amounts to a clear frustration of the judicial process.
They state that when a public institution refuses to carry out an order from a competent court, the consequences go beyond the parties involved and affect public trust.
“It is my firm belief that obeying the court’s ruling is the only way to protect the integrity of this process,” Wakpal said, urging the court to act.
He is therefore asking the High Court to interpret the EC’s conduct as contempt and to deliver sanctions he believes will safeguard the authority of the justice system.