The Member of Parliament for the Zabzugu constituency in the northern region, John Jabaah Bennam, whose election was challenged in the Tamale High Court has made mockery of the NDC Candidate, Umar Alhassan, after the court affirmed that he was dually elected.
“The court declaration of me as the MP for Zabzugu constituency has clearly demonstrated that the good people of Zabzugu constituency on the 7th December, 2020, decided that it was me – Jabaah John Bennam that they were bringing back to the constituency as their Member of Parliament.”
“They did this simply because I had earlier served them for two consecutive times and in 2016 they decided they were going to try another lady’s soup. They’ve tried, they’ve tasted it then 2020 they said no our old wife Jabaah John Bennam used to prepare a better meal for us and for that matter, we have to go back for him and exactly was what they did” he stated in his victory remarks during an interview with Journalists in Tamale.
The opposition National Democratic Congress 2020 Parliamentary hopeful, Mr. Umar Alhassan, raised issues of improper collation among others in a petition filed at the Tamale High Court in the aftermath of the 2020 elections.
But the court on Friday (January 20, 2023) presided over by Justice Daniel Obeng, dismissed the election petition.
The court further awarded a cost of GH 20,000 to the first respondent, the Electoral Commission, as well as
GH 40,000 to the second respondent, Mr. John Bennam Jabaah.
Responding to the outcome of the verdict, Mr. Bennam said, “my opponent didn’t understand like I did in 2016 even though the margin between him and myself in 2016 was so small, I clearly understood the people wanted change and gave up but he didn’t do that and decided to exercise his democratic rights.”
The MP seized the opportunity to thank his constituents for giving him the opportunity again to serve them which he maintained he is gladly doing.
Election results
The NPP candidate, John Jabaah Bennam secured 17,580 votes representing 54.6 percent to beat the National Democratic Congress Umar Alhassan who had 14,631 representing 45.4 percent.
