James Gyakye Quayson Is No More NDC MP For Assin North, Supreme Court Orders Parliament To Expunge His Name

• The Supreme Court has ordered Parliament to expunge the name of James Gyakye Quayson from its list of recognised Members of Parliament
• The apex court ruled on Wednesday, May 17, 2023, that the man named Assin North MP for 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

Parliament has been ordered by the Supreme Court of Ghana to cease acknowledging James Gyakye Quayson as the Member of Parliament for Assin North.

In a highly anticipated ruling on Wednesday, May 17, 2023, the Supreme Court bench, led by Justice Jones Dotse, determined that Ghana's Electoral Commission (EC) flouted the law when it allowed the member of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) to contest parliamentary elections in 2020.

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The apex court said the EC should have obtained proof that Quayson had renounced his Canadian citizenship before allowing him to run for the Assin North seat on the ticket of the NDC, which he won.

In Ghana, it is against the law for a person holding dual citizenship to stand for public office.

The case was filed by one Michael Ankomah Nimfah, a resident of the constituency who wanted the laws of Ghana to be upheld.

Assin North 2020 parliamentary contest declared null and void

The seven justices who heard the case are as follows:

Justices Jones Dotse (presiding), Emmanuel Kulendi, Nene Amegatcher, Mariama Owusu, Gertrude Torkonoo, Prof Henrietta Mensah Bonsu and Barbara Ackah Ayensu.

The judges ruled unanimously that James Gyekye Quayson was not fit to run for public office at the time he filed his nomination for the parliamentary polls.

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Hence the election that declared James Gyekye winner of the parliamentary polls in 2020 was null and void and of no effect.

James Quayson risks imprisonment

Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh reported that James Quayson could be fighting another legal battle soon if criminal charges of perjury are brought against him.

The Attorney-General, Godfred Dame, has said the deposed MP faces the possibility of imprisonment like Adamu Sakande.

Mr Sakande, a former member of the Fifth Parliament for the Bawku Central, was sentenced to prison for two years for perjury and deceiving a public officer.

These 17 sitting MPs lost their seats in NDC primaries to new entrants

Also, YEN.com.gh reported that the opposition 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 Saturday.

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

Source: YEN.com.gh