The Koforidua High Court has awarded GH¢200,000 in costs and damages against former Member of Parliament for Suhum, Oboafo Kwadjo Asante, after dismissing an election petition challenging the outcome of the 2024 parliamentary polls in the constituency.
According to the New Patriotic Party’s Eastern Regional Minister, Tony Osei, the party is happy with the court’s decision.
The court, presided over by Justice George Krofa-Addae, on December 18, 2025, dismissed the petition filed by the National Democratic Congress and Kwadjo Asante against the current Member of Parliament for Suhum, Frank Asiedu Bekoe, popularly known as Protozoa.
In its ruling, the court held that the petition failed to establish sufficient grounds or provide credible evidence of electoral irregularities capable of overturning the results declared by the Electoral Commission.
The court consequently awarded GH¢200,000 in costs and damages against the petitioner for wasting judicial time over the year-long trial.
Speaking on TV3 on December 18, as monitored by NewsDesksGH, Tony Osei cautioned against the filing of what he described as frivolous election petitions.
“This will also serve as a clarion call to anybody who wants to file an election petition against any form of election in the country that you cannot just on the voice of hearsay, go to court with any frovilous petition to challenge the results to waste the courts and everybody’s time,” he said.
He further welcomed the court’s decision to impose costs on the petitioners.
“I think the decision to award 200,000 against the petitioners is also in a good call,” he added.
The legal challenge was brought by Kwadjo Asante, who contested the election as an independent candidate; and the NDC candidate Prince Kwadwo Addo Tabiri.
In the 2024 parliamentary election, Frank Asiedu Bekoe won the Suhum seat with 16,855 votes. Prince Addo Tabiri placed second with 15,259 votes, while Kwadjo Asante garnered 14,860 votes.
The petitioners alleged irregularities in the conduct of the election, including concerns over pink sheets and the exclusion of results from six polling stations. However, the defence successfully argued that the petitioners’ own agent had earlier objected to the inclusion of results from those polling stations during the collation process.
The ruling determines that Frank Asiedu Bekoe’s victory in the 2024 general election was lawfully and rightfully obtained.
