The High Court in Accra has cleared the way for the Ayawaso East by-election, dismissing a lawsuit that sought to annul the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary primary over allegations of vote buying.
In a ruling on Monday, March 2, the court deemed the case brought by pressure group Democracy Hub “incompetent,” effectively ending attempts to block the NDC’s parliamentary candidate, Baba Jamal, from contesting.
The by-election is set for Tuesday, March 3, 2026.
Democracy Hub had filed the suit against the NDC, the Electoral Commission (EC), and the Attorney-General’s Department, claiming that the party’s primary was “marred by vote buying” and therefore lacked legitimacy. They asked the court to restrain the EC from accepting or acting on Baba Jamal’s nomination.
However, NDC lawyers argued that the suit was fundamentally flawed and that the group lacked the legal standing to bring the case. Justice Agyenim-Boateng upheld this objection, ruling that the originating processes were defective and dismissing the case without examining the allegations of vote buying.
The controversy over the primary followed Baba Jamal’s victory, with opponents alleging that his campaign engaged in financial inducements to secure votes. Mr. Jamal has consistently denied these claims throughout the party’s internal review and the legal proceedings.
Before the court’s decision, the NDC had conducted its own internal investigation into the primary. A three-member committee examined the allegations and ultimately recommended upholding the results. Party officials cited legal requirements, constitutional provisions, and EC nomination deadlines as reasons for maintaining Mr. Jamal’s candidacy despite the external pressure.
With the High Court’s dismissal of the suit, attention now turns to voters. The Electoral Commission has confirmed that all preparations are complete for Ayawaso East constituents to cast their ballots on Tuesday.