James Gyakye Quayson Reacts To Supreme Court Decision That Ruled He Should Not Be An MP: "I'm Disappointed"

• James Gyakye Quayson has said he leaves the matter about his Canadian citizenship to the "court of conscience", which supersedes all courts
• The Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday that Quayson's name should be deleted from Parliament's list of approved judges because the election he won in 2020 was null and void
• But in a statement, Quayson says he is disappointed because the ruling is unjust to him and the evidence available

Deposed Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin North James Gyakye Quayson has reacted to a Supreme Court ruling that ordered Parliament to delete his name from the list of approved legislators.

Quayson has said in a statement the ruling by the apex is problematic and unjust to him and the facts of the case.

"It is a matter of public record that I filed for the renunciation of my Canadian citizenship in December 2019. It is also a matter of record that I left Canada in February 2020. It is also a matter of record that as soon as I applied for renunciation of my Canadian citizenship and left Canada, I lost all the rights of Canadian citizenship. It is also a matter of record that I picked up my renunciation certificate from the Canadian Embassy in Accra in November 2020," he stated in his statement.

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Supreme Court agreed unanimously on Quayson's ruling

On Wednesday, May 17, 2023, a panel of seven justices of the Supreme Court ordered Parliament to expunge the name of James Gyakye Quayson from its list of recognised MP.

The apex court ruled that the man declared winner of the Assin North parliamentary elections on the ticket of the NDC in 2020 failed to renounce his Canadian citizenship before standing for public office.

The seven-member Supreme Court bench led by Justice Jones Dotse determined that the election that declared Quayson winner in 2020 was null and void.

The law makes it a criminal offence for anyone who owes allegiance to another country or is a citizen of another country to hold public office in Ghana.

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The other justices are, Emmanuel Kulendi, Nene Amegatcher, Mariama Owusu, Gertrude Torkonoo, Prof Henrietta Mensah Bonsu and Barbara Ackah Ayensu.

EC inspected my renunciation certificate

But reacting to the ruling on the case that has been ongoing since 2021, Gyakye said the EC inspected his renunciation certificate in November 2020 before allowing him to contest the elections.

"Thus, I was duly qualified to run, according to the EC’s regulations, which the law presumes to be regular. Yet, the Court holds that I should have offered this proof to the EC at the time of filing for my nomination and then applies the holding retrospectively to disqualify me," he said.

He said, however, that he remains committed to the people of Assin North in the Central Region and will continue to support it. He also thanked the many constituents of Assin North for supporting him since the case started.

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"I have turned the page on litigating this matter in the courts of justice. I leave the matter to the court of conscience, which Ghandi reminds us, supersedes all other courts," he said.

These are the 17 sitting MPs who lost their seats in the NDC primaries

Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh has reported in a separate story that the NDC primaries on Saturday, May 13, 2023, resulted in big losses for some sitting Members of Parliament.

About 17 MPs were ousted by new entrants by the time results were declared later that day.

For many people, the ousting of ABA Fuseini in the Sagnarigu contest and Dr Kwabena Donkor for Pru East were among the biggest upsets.

Some 356,624 party delegates voted in the parliamentary primaries held in 259 constituencies.

Mahama teases NPP after his landslide victory at NDC primaries

Also, former president John Dramani Mahama has said the opposition NDC has no option but to win the elections in 2024 and has asked the current government to get ready to hand over power.

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The flagbearer of the NDC for the 2024 elections said the Akufo-Addo administration has destroyed the economy and visited untold hardships on Ghanaians.

He made the comments on Monday, May 15 when he delivered a speech to mark his victory in the presidential primaries held on Saturday, May 13, 2023.

Mahama polled 98.9% of the total votes in the contest with former Kumasi Mayor, Kojo Bonsu.

Source: YEN.com.gh