The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has ordered a re-run of its Ashanti Regional Chairperson elections following what it described as “serious procedural irregularities” that compromised the fairness of the 30 June 2025 vote.

The directive was issued by the association’s Elections Dispute Adjudication Committee (EDAC) after it upheld a petition filed by one of the candidates. The committee said it had reviewed evidence and heard testimonies from all parties before concluding that the results of the poll could not stand.

“The margin of victory in the disputed election was just one vote,” the committee said in a statement. “It is a reasonable proposition that these irregularities could have significantly impacted the outcome.”

Among the key breaches cited was the creation of a supplementary voter list on the day of the election, with some names later challenged for ineligibility. The committee also highlighted an incident in which a voter registered in the Greater Accra Region was allowed to vote in the Ashanti Region—something it deemed a clear procedural violation.

EDAC said the decision to annul the result was necessary to restore trust in the GJA’s internal democratic processes and uphold the association’s constitution.

Clear directives issued

To ensure the credibility of the re-run, EDAC has set out a number of guidelines:

• The re-run must take place within 14 working days from the date of the announcement.
• A verified and comprehensive list of eligible voters must be published in the national dailies and made available to all contestants at least three working days before the election.
• No supplementary voter list may be created under any circumstances.

The committee urged all GJA members in the Ashanti Region to take an active interest in the re-run and ensure the process is conducted with transparency and integrity.

The GJA is Ghana’s largest and most influential journalists’ body, and its internal elections are closely watched as a reflection of its commitment to democratic values.