By: Ashiadey Dotse
Chief Justice nominee, Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, has suggested that Ghana’s general elections should be held in November instead of December to allow enough time for any election petitions to be heard before a new government is sworn in.
Justice Baffoe-Bonnie made the proposal during his vetting by Parliament’s Appointments Committee on Monday, November 10, 2025. He explained that moving the election date from December 7 to November 7 or 8 would give both the courts and political parties more time to resolve disputes before the January 7 inauguration.
Currently, Ghana’s elections are held on December 7, with the elected government taking office on January 7. This one-month period, according to Justice Baffoe-Bonnie, is too short for courts to properly handle election petitions.
“After the election petition, we came to the conclusion that it should be possible to have petitions concluded before January 7. The best suggestion that came up was to hold elections on November 7 or 8,” he stated.
He explained that if elections were held in early November, results could be declared by November 10, giving about 57 days for petitions to be filed, responded to, and determined before the new government is inaugurated.
“Assuming we go by the 42-day window provided by CI 99, petitions can be filed, responded to, and tried within that period,” he added.
Justice Baffoe-Bonnie also called for the use of electronic means to serve court documents, noting that it would help reduce delays in handling election petitions.
“In this age, we can use digital addresses or phone numbers for online contact. If petitions are served electronically, it can take three days instead of a week,” he said.
He emphasised that with such reforms, petitions could be concluded by the end of November, ensuring that electoral disputes are resolved efficiently and fairly before the new government takes office.
