Chief Justice nominee, Justice Paul Kwadwo Baffoe-Bonnie, has proposed that Ghana’s presidential elections be held earlier in November, preferably on the 7th or 8th, to allow the Supreme Court adequate time to hear and conclude any election petitions before the swearing-in of a new president on January 7.
Appearing before Parliament’s Appointments Committee, Justice Baffoe-Bonnie explained that while the current electoral calendar gives only a short window for dispute resolution, an earlier election would help safeguard the integrity and stability of the transition process.
He referenced Constitutional Instrument (CI) 99, which set a 42-day limit for determining presidential election petitions, noting that the system has proven functional but could benefit from more breathing room.
“CI99 came up, and that was when we decided that the trial and everything could be done within 42 days. So discussions went on and on, and we agreed on 42 days maximum for presidential election petitions,” he said.
The nominee cited the 2020 presidential election petition as an example, recalling that it took the Supreme Court exactly 42 days to complete the case between John Dramani Mahama and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, alongside the Electoral Commission (EC).
Justice Baffoe-Bonnie further compared Ghana’s process to those in other countries, pointing out that Kenya resolves its election petitions within 21 days, while in the United States, the landmark Bush v. Gore case in 2000 was settled before the presidential inauguration.
“At most of these forums where we discussed elections in Ghana, we concluded that it should be possible to have the election petition concluded before the 7th of January, the inauguration day,” he stated.
He described the proposal for an early November election as a “masterstroke,” explaining that it would provide a sufficient time buffer for legal processes without disrupting the transition calendar.
“If we have the elections on the 7th or the 8th of November, by the 10th, the results will have been declared. That gives us about 57 days before January 7. Assuming we want to stick to the 42-day window provided by CI99, the petition can be filed, responded to, and tried comfortably within that period,” he elaborated.
Justice Baffoe-Bonnie’s proposal, if adopted, could spark national debate about constitutional timelines and electoral reforms, potentially reshaping how Ghana manages post-election disputes in the years ahead.
