The High Court of Justice in Wa has issued a 10-day interim injunction halting the National Democratic Congress (NDC) from proceeding with its branch elections in the Jirapa Constituency.
The court order, granted on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, by His Lordship Justice Osei-Wusu Antwi, restrains the NDC at all levels, National, Regional, and Constituency Executives, from conducting the local elections.
The legal challenge was mounted by 14 registered party members and aspiring candidates within the Jirapa Constituency, led by Yakuba Sunkari Jalilu. The plaintiffs filed a Writ of Summons and an accompanying Statement of Claim on May 25, 2026, targeting the NDC Head Office in Accra and the Jirapa Constituency Executive Committee.
Represented by private legal practitioner David Boakye Mensah Esq. of Enso Nyame Ye Chambers, the plaintiffs turned to the courts after local party administrators allegedly blocked access to critical electoral materials.
According to the Statement of Claim, the Jirapa Constituency encompasses 140 branches spread across 15 distinct zones/wards, including Mwankuri, Sabuli, Ping, Hain, Ullo, Gbare, Jirapa East, Jirapa West, Nambeg, Tuggoh, Yagha, Konzokalaa, Duori, Tizza, and Karni South.
The plaintiffs assert that the Jirapa Constituency Executive Committee has stubbornly refused to release the branch registers. They highlight that access to these registers is a fundamental requirement under the party’s national guidelines to verify membership numbers, identify eligible voters, and facilitate the payment of mandatory dues required to secure the endorsements necessary to submit official nomination forms
The lawsuit stresses that this non-compliance persists despite clear, top-down directives from national party leadership. Specifically, a directive from the Regional Elections Director on May 8, 2026, followed by a formal letter on May 15, 2026, from the Deputy General Secretary, Hon. Barbara Serwaah Asamoah, explicitly ordered all constituency executives to grant unhindered register access to prospective aspirants.
The plaintiffs argue that withholding the registers is a “capricious and unfair” tactic calculated to systematically deny them and other party members the opportunity to contest the upcoming elections.
In granting the ex-parte application argued by attorney Crispin Zickah, the Wa High Court has frozen all electoral processes in Jirapa for an initial period of 10 days.
Moving forward, the plaintiffs are seeking several permanent reliefs from the court, including:
1. A Formal Declaration that the refusal to distribute the registers violates NDC Branch Election Guidelines.
2. A Compelling Order forcing executives to release the registers to designated branch executives to ensure candidate access.
3. An Extension of Time of no less than 10 days once the registers are finally released to allow all disenfranchised aspirants to verify their membership, clear dues, and successfully file nominations.
The NDC has eight days from the formal service of the writ to enter an appearance or face default judgment. Local party operatives have yet to publicly comment on how they intend to resolve the registry deadlock before the 10-day injunction expires.
