The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has maintained its decision to boycott the Electoral Commission’s planned rerun of parliamentary elections in 19 polling stations within the Ablekuma North constituency, insisting the process undermines electoral credibility.
The party described the Electoral Commission’s move as a dangerous precedent and reaffirmed its position during a media engagement on JoyFM’s Top Story on Wednesday, July 9. The rerun was announced by the EC following security disruptions that prevented collation of results during the December 2024 parliamentary elections in parts of the constituency.
Deputy General Secretary of the NPP, Haruna Mohammed, dismissed suggestions that the boycott was motivated by fear of losing. He argued that the party’s stance is based on principle, not political expediency. According to him, the EC’s action contradicts a High Court order that called for the collation and declaration of the already cast votes, not a new vote.
Haruna stated that participating in the rerun would only embolden political misconduct and set a negative example for future elections. He warned that legitimizing such a process could empower individuals or groups to cause chaos during elections with the hope that the Electoral Commission will eventually yield.
He further explained that the NPP had already collated results in 34 out of the 37 polling stations, and only three remained. According to the party, the EC’s focus should be on completing collation, not restarting the process.
Touching on the legal aspect, the NPP clarified that its ongoing court case is not merely an injunction against the rerun. The party has filed a substantive case seeking justice over the EC’s decision. While the court allowed the rerun to proceed, the party believes a final ruling in its favour will bring adequate remedies.
The NPP maintains that it has already won the election in Ablekuma North and sees no justification for a rerun. The party insists its decision is a defence of the rule of law and electoral justice, rather than a strategy to avoid political defeat.
The Electoral Commission, however, has insisted on conducting the rerun on grounds of public safety and electoral fairness. The scheduled rerun has sparked fresh legal and political tensions ahead of the upcoming parliamentary session.
