A high court has dismissed an election petition brought by former Trade and Industry Minister K.T. Hammond, rejecting his challenge to the outcome of the 2024 parliamentary race in Adansi Asokwa and ordering him to pay a Gh¢60,000 ($4,800) fine.
Justice Kwabena Twumasi of the High Court in Obuasi ruled Tuesday that Hammond’s suit lacked merit and constituted a waste of judicial time. The judge further cited the petitioner’s repeated absences from court—three missed appearances—as grounds for striking out the case.
Hammond, a long-serving member of Parliament under the New Patriotic Party (NPP), had contested the electoral victory of Godwin Animli Dorgbadzi Dorani, of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate, who won by a margin of 954 votes. Official tallies showed Dorani secured 14,229 votes to Hammond’s 13,275 in the December 2024 poll.
The petition, filed January 15, alleged irregularities in the voting process. However, the court never heard substantive arguments due to Hammond’s non-attendance.
“This was a frivolous case that did not deserve the court’s time,” said Richard Andy, counsel for Mr. Dorani. “We’re pleased with the outcome, and now the MP can focus fully on serving his constituents.”
The ruling effectively solidifies the NDC’s hold on the Adansi Asokwa seat, flipping a constituency long considered an NPP stronghold.
