NPP seeks 'family' solution as High Court adjourns parliamentary primaries case

The Accra High Court hearing the case involving the legality of conducting parliamentary primaries in three constituencies in the Ashanti region has been adjourned.

The plaintiffs Kwame Owusu Ansah, Sarpong Kumankuma and Anthony Gyamfi Ameyaw are asking the court to declare as illegal, a statement by the NPP General Secretary Kwabena Agyapong, asking interested persons to pick up forms as part of nationwide parliamentary primaries.

The General Secretary's 23 March 2015 announcement, they believe disregards a yet-to-be-obeyed High Court ruling in Juaben, Kumawu and Manhyia constituencies.

The plaintiffs who initiated the case on 28 th of March, 2014 had obtained a ruling last year that an election to choose constituency executives was illegal.

A High court injunction meant that the three constituencies were not allowed to participate in the party's delegates' congress in Tamale in April, this year.

The court on 29 August 2014, also ordered a re-run of elections in the affected areas. It has not been done.

The plaintiffs are now back in court after the party failed to adhere to an amicable agreement the two parties reached resulting in a consent judgment in August 2014.

The plaintiffs found out a blatant disregard of a court ruling for the party to announce parliamentary primaries.

The adjournment of the case today at the Cocoa Affairs court in Accra has been met with frustration by some party members.

“Enough is enough”, a party member fumed, urging an end to litigation. He says NPP members in the affected constituencies are 'tired' of the dispute.

Another asked that the 2016 flagbearer Nana Akufo Addo ought to intervene in order not to scuttle the party's chances in the December 2016 general elections.

Lawyers for both the applicants and respondents this morning informed the high court they intend to settle the matter out of court.

According to lawyer for the NPP Yoni Kulendi, the dispute is between "family" members and should therefore should be resolved out of court.