The government has accepted recommendations from the Constitutional Review Committee (CRC) to fix presidential elections in the first week of November and establish strict, shortened timelines for resolving presidential election disputes.
Under the new framework, presidential election petitions must be filed within 14 days of the official declaration of results, with the Supreme Court constitutionally mandated to deliver its final determination within 30 days.
The Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, announced the decisions while presenting the government's official position paper on the CRC report in Accra.
Early Elections to Ensure Smooth Transition
Shifting the election date from the traditional December 7 schedule to early November is designed to provide adequate breathing room for administrative transitions ahead of the January 7 inauguration day.
"We have accepted that the presidential election be held on a day in the first week of November, as the Electoral Commission may specify by constitutional instrument," Dr. Ayine explained. "A fixed period gives certainty to the electoral calendar. It allows the commission, the parties, and observers to plan, and it ensures an adequate interval between the election and the inauguration of the incoming president."
Accelerated Dispute Resolution and Full Data Disclosure
To prevent prolonged post-election legal disputes, the accepted proposals embed tight, enforceable timelines directly into the Constitution for any challenges to presidential election outcomes.
In addition to the 30-day trial deadline, the constitutional amendment will place a binding legal obligation on the Electoral Commission (EC) to immediately release all relevant electoral data and primary documents to both the apex court and the contesting parties.
"There is going to be a constitutional obligation on the part of the Electoral Commission to disclose all relevant data to the court and to all the parties," Dr. Ayine stressed. "The timely resolution of election disputes inures well to the stability of our democratic transitions and to the general political stability of our country and society."
The proposed amendments will be drafted into upcoming constitutional revision bills to be processed by Parliament and submitted where necessary to a national referendum.
