Court dismisses NPP MP’s case
A Kumasi High Court, presided over by Justice Beresford Acquah, yesterday dismissed a case brought by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Manso Nkwanta, Madam Grace Addo, for the nullification of the party's primary held on June 15, 2016.
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The court also awarded costs of GH¢33,000 against the plaintiff. GH¢13,000 of the amount will go to the Electoral Commission (EC) which was the first defendant and GH¢10,000 each to the elected candidate and the NPP, who were the second and third defendants respectively.
Madam Addo had averred that the EC officials had connived with the NPP officers to change some of the results, culminating in her challenger, Joseph Albert Quarm, winning the primary.
In the primary, Mr Quarm had 216 with Madam Addo polling 215 of the valid votes counted.
Madam Addo asked the court to nullify the results because the election was characterised by fraud and swapping of results. She also called for recount which was also thrown out.
According to the judge, the plaintiff failed to prove beyond all reasonable doubts that fraud was perpetuated against her.
The judge stated that the plaintiff was at the counting and collation centre, accepted the results and publicly congratulated the winner.
He added that his agents also participated in the voting, counting and collation of results and signed willingly.
There was wild jubilation outside the court when news filtered out that Mr Quarm had won the case.
Just after the primary in June 2015, Madam Addo raised concerns about its conduct. Party elders sought to settle the matter but there was no finality which saw Madam Addo going to court. Initially, the case was taken out of court but there was no settlement and it went its full length till judgement was delivered yesterday.