Minority Leader Questions Court Timelines in Kpandai Election Petition
Minority Leader in Parliament and Member of Parliament for Effutu, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, has expressed serious concerns about how the Kpandai parliamentary election petition is being handled at the High Court in Tamale.
In a public statement issued on his Facebook page on Friday, December 19, 2025, he pointed to repeated delays and what he described as a lack of procedural clarity surrounding the case, which is being presided over by Justice Manuel Bart-Plange Brew.
According to Afenyo-Markin, a ruling that had been scheduled was not delivered as expected because the court did not sit on the appointed date.
He explained that parties involved in the matter were only informed by the court registrar that the presiding judge was unavailable, with no alternative date announced.
“Justice Manuel Bart-Plange Brew of the High Court, Tamale did not sit yesterday. No ruling was delivered. No new date was fixed. Parties were simply informed by the Registrar that ‘He’s indisposed.’ This is not an isolated incident”
He argued that this latest development fits into a broader pattern of missed timelines following the High Court’s November 24, 2025 decision that annulled the entire Kpandai parliamentary election and ordered a fresh poll.
The Minority Leader noted that the original petition challenged irregularities in only some polling stations, yet the court opted for the most far-reaching outcome by cancelling the election across the entire constituency.
Afenyo-Markin stressed that the consequences of the ruling extend beyond the individual MP involved. He said the decision has already affected parliamentary representation, altered the numerical strength of Parliament, triggered preparations for a by-election, and required intervention from the Supreme Court, thereby placing voters in Kpandai in a state of uncertainty.
He further questioned the practice of fixing firm ruling dates that are later disregarded, noting that Parliament, the Electoral Commission and litigants have all structured their actions around court timelines that were not adhered to.
“Why do judges fix firm ruling dates in open court if those timelines are not treated as binding commitments? Litigants, Parliament and the Electoral Commission have all now organised their conduct around dates that the court itself has not honoured.”
While acknowledging that judges are entitled to fall ill and recover without pressure, Afenyo-Markin maintained that cases of national importance demand timely communication and transparency.
In his view, clearer administrative explanations and the prompt setting of new dates would help preserve public trust and protect the rights of the parties involved.
He called on Justice Brew to deliver a ruling on the pending stay of execution application as soon as possible to bring certainty back to the process. He also warned that prolonged delays, especially after a far-reaching and disputed judgment, could erode confidence in the justice system.
According to him, voters in Kpandai remain caught in limbo as the legal process continues, making swift judicial clarity essential.
Story by Adwoa S. Danso
