Disputed result of NPP primary finally settled

The disputed result of the Sunyani East New Patriotic Party (NPP) primary held on June 13, this year was finally settled on Friday when a Sunyani High Court declared the incumbent Member of Parliament, Mr Kwasi Ameyaw-Cheremeh, winner of the election.

The court ordered the recount of the ballots after Ambassador George Kumi, who lost by a single ballot, had petitioned for the recount of the ballots.

June 13 Primary

Mr Ameyaw-Cheremeh was declared the winner of the primary when he obtained 388 as against the 387 by Ambassador Kumi, with two spoilt ballots.

However, the total sum of the votes obtained by the two contestants in addition to the two spoilt ballots, 777, fell shot of the 778 total votes declared by the Electoral Commission.

After petitioning the party's headquarters, Ambassador Kumi also petitioned the high court seeking a recount of the ballots to ascertain the whereabout of the single ballot.
Supporters of the challenger also organised a peaceful protest, parading the principal streets of Sunyani to drum home their call for a recount of the votes.

Court proceedings

At Friday’s sitting of the court, Justice Amos Larweh Boatey granted the request for the recount, which was immediately done at the Brong Ahafo Regional Police Headquarters.

After the recount, however, that single ballot which was the subject of the dispute was found to be for Mr Ameyaw-Cheremeh.

Thus he was declared the winner with 389 votes as against 387 by Ambassador Kumi.

The court proceedings became a battle between gurus of the NPP in the region, with Mr Asomah Kyeremeh, Regional Chairman of the party, representing his brother, Ameyaw-Cheremeh, while a former Municipal Chief Executive for Sunyani, Mr Kwame Twumasi-Awuah, represented Ambassador Kumi.

There were scenes of jubilation by supporters of Mr Ameyaw-Cheremeh who accused Ambassador Kumi of rather 'stealing' the disputed single ballot.

Nana Obiri Boahen

At the hearing, a Kumasi-based lawyer, who was the counsel for the party, Nana Yaw Osei, told the court he had been asked by the General Secretary of the NPP, Mr Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, to represent the party in the case.

The Regional Secretary of the party, Mr Ofori Anyeh, was also mandated by Mr Agyepong to represent the party in the suit.

Nana Obiri Boahen told the Daily Graphic after the ruling that he had been embarrassed by the action of the General Secretary.

He explained that he had been mandated by the Judicial Committee of the party in a letter signed by Professor Michael Oquaye to represent NPP in such matters in the Brong Ahafo, Ashanti, Northern, Upper East and Upper West regions.

Nana Obiri Boahen, however, called for unity between supporters of Ameyaw-Cheremeh and Ambassador Kumi in the interest of the party.

The Counsel for Ambassador Kumi, Mr Twumasi-Awuah, described the verdict as "a win for democracy", as it had erased any suspicion about the disputed result.