Court to decide on NPP's attempt to lift injunction against Akwatia MP-elect
The injunction was granted on January 2, 2025, following a request by the NDC parliamentary candidate, Henry Boakye Yiadom, against the Electoral Commission (EC), Ernest Kumi, and the Clerk of Parliament.
The Koforidua High Court has scheduled Monday, January 6, 2025, to deliver its decision on an application filed by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) seeking to nullify an interim injunction that bars Ernest Kumi from being sworn in as the Member of Parliament-elect for the Akwatia constituency.
The injunction was granted on January 2, 2025, following a request by the NDC parliamentary candidate, Henry Boakye Yiadom, against the Electoral Commission (EC), Ernest Kumi, and the Clerk of Parliament. This legal order temporarily halts Kumi's swearing-in process.
Gary Nimako Marfo, the NPP's legal counsel, argued in court that the injunction was improperly filed and based on a petition that lacked merit. He called for the court to overturn the injunction and dismiss the petition entirely. Marfo emphasized that election results can only be contested within 21 days of publication and gazetting.
However, Bernard Bediako Baidoo, the lawyer representing the NDC candidate, disagreed, asserting that once election results are declared, they can be challenged without waiting for the gazette. He countered that the NPP’s arguments were legally unfounded.
During the proceedings, Marfo attempted to introduce additional arguments, but the presiding judge, His Lordship Senyo Amedahe, intervened after Baidoo objected, arguing that Marfo was rehashing his case.
Both sides referenced several legal precedents to support their positions. The NPP maintained that the injunction, being interim in nature, would lapse after ten days unless renewed, and urged the court to dismiss the case outright.
Speaking to the press after the hearing, Isaac Minta Larbi, head of legal affairs for the NDC in the Eastern Region, expressed confidence in their case, stating, "We have presented a solid argument, and the court should uphold justice. We are optimistic about a favorable ruling."
Gary Nimako Marfo, representing the NPP, declined to comment further.
Meanwhile, preparations are underway for the swearing-in of all newly-elected MPs, scheduled to take place at midnight on January 7, 2025.
