The Koforidua High Court has upheld an injunction preventing Ernest Kumi, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate, from being sworn in as the Member of Parliament-elect for Akwatia Constituency.
The court’s ruling also stops the Clerk of Parliament from administering the oath of office to Kumi. The Akwatia seat was one of several contested in the December 7, 2024, elections, with results announced by the Electoral Commission at the National Police Training School in Tesano, Accra.
On January 2, the court granted an injunction filed by Henry Boakye Yiadom, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate for Akwatia, challenging the results. The injunction halts Kumi’s swearing-in while the matter is pending.
NPP’s legal representative, Gary Nimako Marfo, argued that the injunction was improperly filed and based on an invalid petition. He pointed out that election results can only be challenged within 21 days of their publication and gazetting, urging the court to dismiss the injunction and petition.
Mintah Larbi, Director of Legal Affairs for the NDC in the Eastern Region, expressed confidence in the court’s ruling, calling it a step towards rectifying what he described as an electoral injustice. “We are optimistic about the outcome based on our arguments today,” he said.
Marfo, representing Kumi, declined to comment further following the court’s decision.
Source:TheDotNews