A Tamale High Court presided over by Justice Daniel Obeng has dismissed the Savelugu parliamentary election petition filed by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate for the 2020 elections, Muhammad Abdul-Samed Gunu.
According to the judge, the evidence showed that there was no over-voting in the 2020 parliamentary elections as claimed by the NPP candidate but administrative human errors did not affect the outcome of the results, justifying the court to annul the results.
However, the court awarded costs of GHS 40,000 in favor of the 2nd respondent, National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for Savelugu Constituency, Abdullai Jacob Idrisu.
The court again awarded costs of GHS 20,000 in favor of the 1st respondent, which is the Election Commission.
The Savelugu New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate for the 2020 parliamentary election has filed an application at the Tamale High Court challenging the validity of the election of National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary candidate Abdulai Jacob Idrisu for the Savulugu North constituency. Area under Parliamentary Elections held on December 7, 2020.
The respondents to the petition are the Electoral Commission (1st respondent) and Abdulai Jacob Idrisu (2nd respondent) in the case.
In the December 7, 2020 parliamentary election, Mr. Gunu polled 19,478 votes while NDC candidate Alhaji Abdulai Jacob Idris polled 19,577 votes.
Petitioner Muhammad Abdul-Samad Gunu contends that the proposed election of the 2nd Respondent as Member of Parliament for Savelugu Constituency is invalid due to widespread irregularities and irregularities affecting the outcome of an uncontested election.
The NPP Savelugu Parliamentary Candidate said that the 1st Respondent’s desire is to conduct free, fair and transparent elections that reflect the will of the people, protect the rights of candidates and instill confidence in the exercise of democracy. Since 1992 it has been run under the Fourth Republic Constitution.
He said that the elections were marred by gross and widespread electoral malpractices which substantially and materially affected the election results as declared by the 1st respondent on behalf of the 2nd respondent.
The petitioner alleged that there was a violation of neutrality, transparency and fairness in the D/A primary polling station at Kadia, which substantially and materially affected the election results declared by the 1st respondent in favor of the 2nd respondent. Official, the ballot box distributor secretly inserted several already printed ballot papers, not the existing ballot boxes.
The Petitioner states that the Petitioner herein is the lawful winner of the 2020 election when the valid votes are tallied at the polling stations where polling was conducted in accordance with the rules governing the conduct of the 2020 Parliamentary Elections and in accordance with law. Savelugu Constituency Parliamentary Election.
As a result of the aforesaid constitutional and statutory violations, violations, irregularities and malpractices, the 1st respondent declared results for the parliamentary elections in excess of the actual votes validly cast, thereby perversely undermining the sovereign will of the electorate. 1(1) and Article 42 of the Preamble and Constitution, 1992.
The Tamale High Court prays that the 2nd respondent Abdulai Jacob Idrisu, the NPP Parliamentary candidate for Savelugu Constituency and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Parliamentary candidate herein, are not validly elected members by reason of the votes to be declared as Sindh. Parliament for Savelugu Constituency.
In a related development, a Tamale High Court presided over by Justice Daniel Obeng has dismissed the Jabjugu Parliamentary Election Petition filed by Mr. Umar Alhassan of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
He paid Gh 20,000 to the Electoral Commission and costs of Gh
Gh 40,000 to Mr. John Bennam Jabah, New Patriotic Party(NPP) Member of Parliament for Zabjugu Constituency.
Both the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) were satisfied with the outcome of the parliamentary election petition involving Zabzugu and Savelugu.
However, heavy security was beefed up at the Tamale High Court premises in the wake of Savelugu and Zabzugu parliamentary election petitions.
Source: dailyguidenetwork.com
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