James Gyakye Quayson will still be NDC’s candidate for Assin North bye-election – Baba Jamal

National Democratic Congress (NDC)’s Deputy Director of Legal Affairs says the party has no intention whatsoever to present a new candidate for any possible bye-election in the Assin North constituency.

This comes after the Court asked James Gyakye Quayson not to hold himself as a Member of Parliament (MP) for the area.

Ahmed Mohammed Baba Jamal who represents the NDC on legal issues told NEAT FM’s morning show, 'Ghana Montie' that despite the Court’s verdict the party disagrees and will challenge the Court in due time.

“There is a verdict but we [NDC] do not agree with the court,” he said.

The Member of Parliament for Assin North has expressed his disappointment in the Supreme Court's ruling to get his records expunged as a Member of Parliament.

A seven-member panel of the Supreme Court ordered Parliament to expunge the name of the NDC MP.

In the ruling, the Apex Court barred Mr. Quayson from holding himself as an MP for Assin North.

James Gyakye Quayson had been accused of holding dual citizenship prior to the 2020 election, an allegation he vehemently denied.

James Gyakye Quayson's Reaction

Gyakye Quayson reacting to this in a letter said: “I am, of course, disappointed by the Court’s decision. I am especially surprised that the Court now says that foreign bureaucrats now determine whether natural born Ghanaians have the right to contest for parliamentary elections in Ghana or not. Thus, a country that does not allow renunciation of its citizenship can bar a natural born Ghanaian, who has severed all relations with a country of acquired citizenship, from ever standing for MP.”

According to him, he has "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".

A seven-member panel of the Supreme Court on Wednesday, May 17, 2023, ordered Parliament to blue-pencil the name of James Gyakye Quayson as a valid Member of Parliament.

The ruling further noted that Mr Quayson was not qualified at the time he contested the election in 2020.

The ruling has, however, paved the way for a bye-election in the consistency to elect a new Member of Parliament for the area.

But Baba Jamal said the NDC will again present the striped MP to contest the seat again.

‘We are still presenting James Gyakye Quayson as our parliamentary candidate for Assin North bye-election.” He emphatically told the host of NEAT FM’s morning show, McJerry Osei Agyemang.

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