Majority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh-Dompreh and his lawyers, party members at the Court
The Koforidua High Court has dismissed an election petition filed by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) against the Member of Parliament for Nsawam-Adoagyiri, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, upholding his victory in the 2024 parliamentary elections.
The decision, rendered by Justice Krofa Addae, marks a significant legal victory for the incumbent MP and the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), effectively quashing efforts to challenge the electoral outcome in the constituency.
The petition, initiated by NDC parliamentary candidate Fummey Selorm Philibert, had accused the Electoral Commission (EC) of wrongful declaration of results in favour of Annoh-Dompreh.
The case also cited the EC and the Clerk of Parliament as respondents.
The petitioner alleged irregularities and sought to overturn the EC’s declaration of Annoh-Dompreh as MP following the December 2024 elections.
Following unsuccessful attempts by court bailiffs to personally serve the first respondent, the court on February 21, 2025, granted an order for substituted service.
This directive allowed the summons to be served through multiple public channels, including the High Court premises, local radio stations such as Fawe FM, the Nsawam Main Lorry Station, and other public information centres.
Despite these efforts, neither Annoh-Dompreh nor EC officials appeared in court during a scheduled hearing on January 23, 2025, prompting further legal maneuvers by the petitioner’s legal team.
A subsequent substituted order was executed on February 25, compelling the MP, the EC, and the Clerk of Parliament to respond to the case.
However, in the latest court session, held on April 10, 2025, the presiding judge upheld the application filed by Gary Nimako Marfo, the NPP’s Director of Legal and counsel for Annoh-Dompreh.
Marfo had requested a dismissal of the petition on procedural and legal grounds, arguing that the petition lacked merit.
In a decisive ruling, the court agreed with the arguments put forward by the respondent’s counsel and dismissed the case entirely.
Additionally, the petitioner was ordered to pay GHC25,000 in costs to the respondent.
This outcome reaffirms Annoh-Dompreh’s position as the duly elected representative for the Nsawam-Adoagyiri Constituency, where he has served multiple terms.
His re-election had sparked controversy among opposition ranks, leading to this legal challenge which has now reached its conclusion.
The ruling is expected to bolster the NPP’s confidence ahead of future electoral disputes and signals a significant setback for the NDC’s legal attempts to overturn parliamentary results through litigation.
-BY Daniel Bampoe
