Addison back to court over NPP Klottey Korle primary

The case, in which Mr. Philip Addison, a parliamentary aspirant of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Klottey Korle Constituency, is challenging the results of the primary, has gone back to court.

Counsel for the party, Dr. Opoku Adusei and Prof. Mike Oquaye, told the Accra High Court that attempts to settle the matter out of court had proved futile, and as a result the party would want to remain neutral.

They said since the plaintiff, Philip Addison, and the third defendant, Nii Noi Nortey, were both members, the party would not want to take sides.

Counsel prayed the court to hear the matter and deliver its ruling, saying the party would oblige by the ruling.

The NPP, earlier sought an out of court settlement of the case in which Addison, who was defeated in the parliamentary primaries, is demanding an annulment of the result, alleging the election was illegal.

Acting on behalf of the party, Dr. Adusei had prayed the court to allow the party to use internal mechanisms to settle the dispute and later report to the court.

The plaintiff and the second defendant in the matter, Valentino Nii Noi, who won the primary, agreed to the submission and moved the motion to set aside the earlier default judgement given by the court when the party failed to make an appearance.

The court, presided over by Ms. Patience Mills Tetteh, granted the plea for an out of court settlement and adjourned the case to December 16, for the parties to report the outcome to the court.

Unfortunately, the disputing parties failed to reach an agreement.

Following this, they prayed the court for another adjournment with the view that the case would be resolved by then.

The counsel for the party told the court yesterday [Tuesday] that they had held two meetings with the National and the Regional Executives in an attempt to settle the grievances of the two sides, however, they had proved futile.

Consequently, the court adjourned the case to January 12.