- Ho High Court dismisses petition against Amewu's election.
- Petition filed by SALL enclave residents who were disenfranchised in 2020.
- Court lacks jurisdiction due to constitutional issues raised.
- Amewu's election as MP for Hohoe remains valid.
The Ho High Court has delivered a verdict on a petition challenging the validity of John Peter Amewu’s election as Member of Parliament for Hohoe. The petition, filed by five residents from the Santrofi, Akpafu, Likpe, and Lolobi (SALL) enclave, sought to nullify the 2020 parliamentary election that saw Amewu emerge as the winner.
The SALL enclave, comprising 13 communities, had been left without representation in the 8th parliament after about 17,000 voters were unable to participate in the 2020 parliamentary elections. This was due to the creation of the Oti Region from the Volta Region, which led to the disenfranchisement of the SALL voters.
The petitioners argued that the election was not free and fair, and therefore, Amewu’s victory should be annulled. However, in a surprising turn of events, John-Peter Amewu introduced three new issues to the case at the last hearing, which the NDC in the region claimed was a ploy to delay the case.
Despite this, the court delivered its ruling on Monday, July 29, 2024, dismissing the petition on grounds of lack of jurisdiction. The court held that the declaration sought by the petitioners effectively questions the constitutionality of CI 128, on which the Electoral Commission relied to conduct the 2020 parliamentary elections.
The court ruled that it lacked the jurisdiction to hear the petition, as it raised constitutional issues that were beyond its purview. With this ruling, John Peter Amewu’s election as Member of Parliament for Hohoe remains valid, and the SALL enclave remains without representation in parliament.
