The Koforidua High Court in the Eastern Region has granted an interim injunction preventing Ernest Kumi from being sworn in as the Member of Parliament-elect for the Akwatia constituency.
Ernest Kumi was declared the winner by the Electoral Commission (EC) three weeks ago after a contested election between the NPP and NDC, with disputes arising over the collation of results.
The NDC’s parliamentary candidate, Henry Boakye-Yiadom, has since filed a lawsuit against the EC, Ernest Kumi, and the Clerk to Parliament, seeking to halt Mr. Kumi’s swearing-in.
Following a hearing, the court issued an order barring the recognition of Ernest Kumi as MP-elect, stating: “The respondents, their representatives, agents, servants, and all privies are restrained from proceeding to call, admit, register, swear in, recognize, or gazette the 1st respondent (Ernest Kumi) as the elected Member of Parliament for the Akwatia constituency.”
The court also directed Mr. Kumi to cease presenting himself as the Member of Parliament for Akwatia. The order will remain in effect for 10 days.
Ernest Kumi was declared the winner at the National Police Training School in Tesano, Accra, after several unsuccessful attempts to finalize the results in the Eastern Region. He secured 19,269 votes, while Henry Boakye-Yiadom of the NDC garnered 17,206 votes.
Although traditionally an NPP stronghold, the Akwatia constituency has now become a focal point for the NDC.
