A Hohoe High Court has adjourned a case before it that seeks to place an “order of perpetual injunction” on the swearing-in of Kofi Adams as Buem MP-elect.
The decision by the Court was as a result of failure on the part of applicants to serve Mr, Adams, the first Respondent, with his writ.
Lawyer for the petitioners, Frank Davies has said the case had been adjourned indefinitely “because the Court directed that service should be effected on Kofi Adams, personally”.
“The applicants were unable to serve him, so the proceedings for today have been stultified. We will attempt to serve him and come back,” he said.
Earlier, the National Campaign Manager of the NPP for the 2020 election, Peter Mac Manu had revealed that with some few hours for the case to be called, the MP-elect for Buem is yet to be served since he has not been located.
“We are looking for Kofi Adams to serve him because it [the case] is coming on at the Hohoe High Court. We are not doing ex-parte. It is on notice so on Wednesday we will meet him at the Hohoe court,” he said.
Background
Some 13 people in the Oti Region have filed a suit challenging the election of Kofi Adams as Member of Parliament for the Buem constituency.
The petitioners in their suit argue that they were disenfranchised when parliamentary elections were not held in 13 electoral areas of Santrokofi, Akpafu, Lolobi and Likpe (SALL) where they were expected to cast their ballot.
The petitioners are therefore seeking an “order of perpetual injunction restraining Kofi Adams from holding himself out as Member of Parliament-elect for the constituency and or presenting himself to be sworn in as such.”
They are also seeking a cancellation of the elections held in the constituency and the conduct of a new one which will include the 13 electoral areas.
Kofi Adams was declared Member of Parliament-Elect for the Buem Constituency having polled 18,560 votes out of the total valid votes cast.
Lawrence Kwame Aziale of the New Patriotic Party polled 6,854 votes, a difference of 11,706 votes.
But the petitioners contend that the total registered voters for the 13 electoral areas in the traditional areas of SALL are 17,764 voters.
“In the circumstance, the Petitioners will contend that if the said 17,764 voters inclusive of their good selves had not been denied their inalienable and constitutionally guaranteed right to select an MP of their choice the outcome of the elections in the Buem Constituency could have been substantially different.”
“The petitioners will also contend that unless this Court if the demands are not met, they will be saddled with a Member of Parliament they had no say in electing.”