CJ nominee suggests shifting elections to November for smoother transition

Chief Justice nominee Paul Baffoe-Bonnie has suggested that Ghana’s general elections be moved from the traditional December 7 date to November 7, allowing sufficient time for any election petitions to be heard and resolved before the inauguration of a new government.

“After the election petition, we came to the conclusion that it should be possible to have petitions concluded before January 7, which is the inauguration day.

“The best suggestion that came up was to hold elections on November 7 or 8,” Baffoe-Bonnie told Parliament’s Appointments Committee during his vetting on Monday, November 10, 2025.

He explained that adhering to the 42-day window provided by Constitutional Instrument (CI) 99 would ensure that petitions could be filed, responded to, and tried within a manageable timeframe.

“Assuming we go by the 42-day window provided by CI 99, petitions can be filed, responded to, and tried within that period,” he said.