Wenchi High Court throws out Techiman South election petition; fines NDC GHc100k
The Wenchi High Court has thrown out the petition against the Techiman South parliamentary election filed by the National Democratic Congress.
The Court has also fined the petitioners GH¢100,000 to be shared between the MP and the Electoral Commission.
The election petition was filed by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in respect of the 2020 parliamentary elections in the Techiman South Constituency.
The NDC had said that it won the Techiman South Parliamentary election but claimed the Electoral Commission (EC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) connived to deny it the seat.
The suit by the NDC sought to quash the declaration of the NPP’s Martin Adjei Mensah Korsah as Techiman South MP, and declare Dr Christopher Beyere Baasongti as the legitimate winner of the Techiman South 2020 parliamentary elections.
The NPP has always maintained its candidate and current Member of Parliament (MP), Martin Adjei Mensah Korsah was legally elected as announced by the Electoral Commission, accusing the NDC of engaging in propaganda.
The Electoral Commission also maintains that Martin Adjei Mensah Korsah polled 49,682 votes as against 49,205 votes for Christopher Beyere of the NDC.
Contention of petitioner
In his suit filed at the Wenchi High Court, Beyere prayed the court to quash the Electoral Commission’s decision to declare Martin Adjei-Mensah Korsah of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) as the winner of the 2020 Techiman South parliamentary elections.
By Court
However, the Wenchi High Court presided over by His Lordship Justice Frederick Arnold Nawura, held that the petitioner failed to convince the court with any facts and figures. The Court ruled that Mr. Beyere, did not provide the Court with any real evidence to substantiate the allegations raised in his petition.
In essence, the Court held that Mr Martin Adjei-Mensah Korsah was lawfully elected as the member of Parliament for Techiman South constituency. The court further awarded cost of GHc100, 000.00 against the petitioner, Christopher Beyere Baasongti.
2020 election results
Mr Martin Agyei-Mensah Korsah, in the 2020 parliamentary election polled 49,682 votes, representing 50.24% of the votes cast and his only contender, Christopher Beyere Baasongti. polled 49,205 votes, representing 49.76% of the valid votes cast.
The vote difference that separated the two candidates, Martin Agyei-Mensah Korsah of the NPP and Christopher Beyere Baasongti, of the NDC was four hundred and seventy-seven votes (477).
