The Deputy Director of Elections and IT for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Rashid Tanko-Computer, says the Supreme Court’s decision to suspend the Kpandai parliamentary rerun does not alter the party’s position, insisting it only delays the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) impending defeat.

Speaking on JoyNews on December 16, Mr Tanko-Computer said the NDC is not perturbed by the decision noting that the party’s candidate was not properly served, a matter he said the court acknowledged.

“We are not perturbed with the outcome today, knowing very well that our candidate was not served. Clearly, the court did not mince words with that by telling them that since our candidate was not served, they can decide to go with their motion that they wanted to move.”

Mr Tanko-Computer maintained that the High Court’s ruling remains in force, stressing that the Supreme Court has not overturned it.

“We are not running away from the country. I mean, nothing changes. Let me put it on record—nothing has changed. The High Court ruling still stands. The Supreme Court has not made any adverse decision against the High Court decision. It still stands.”

He further insisted that Matthew Nyindam remains a former Member of Parliament and cannot lay claim to the seat.

“Nyindam is still a former MP. He is not an MP. He cannot step into the Parliament House. He is a persona non grata if he should dare go there.”

Mr Tanko-Computer accused the NPP of attempting to mislead the public over the legal implications of the ruling.

“The law is the law. He shouldn’t confuse everybody. They are confusing themselves and want to confuse everybody to join them.”

Describing the suspension as a temporary delay, he said the decision merely postpones the election date without changing the expected outcome.

“Look, they are only deferring their defeat. The election was supposed to be on the 30th; they’ve gotten the Supreme Court to say let’s push it to the 13th. What has changed?”

He added that the delay would allow the NDC to intensify its campaign activities.

“It will even give us more time to campaign. We will go and campaign, we will go and organise ourselves and campaign more. Nothing is going to change. And so let’s see—we are all in this country, we respect the law.”

The rerun was suspended pending the determination of a certiorari application seeking to quash the initial court order that mandated the fresh election.