The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament-Elect for Assin North, James Quayson, has landed himself in trouble over nationality issue.
The ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) acting through its lawyers at Marfo & Associates Legal Practitioners, has initiated steps to take legal action to challenge Mr Quayson’s Ghanaian citizenship.
As part of the efforts, NPP has through its lawyers written to the Comptroller of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) demanding among other things, the travel history of James Quayson, renunciation certificate in respect of the Canadian citizenship prior to him filling to contest the Assin North Parliamentary seat on the ticket of the NDC.
Protest
It would be recalled that prior to the elections, a group calling itself Concerned Citizens of Assin North, petitioned the Electoral Commission (EC) in the Central Region to withdraw the candidature of Mr Quayson.
The group at the time announced that its petition was informed by the fact that Mr Quayson owed allegiance to Canada.
The group has indicated that he contesting to be MP while holding a Canadian citizenship was derogatory to the constitutional procedure for Ghana’s electioneering processes.
The group had said it was contrary to the express provision of Article 94 (2) (a) of the 1992 constitution of Ghana, which states, “A person shall not be qualified to be a member of Parliament if he – (a) owes allegiance to a country other than Ghana.”
“We request your outfit to engage the other essential institutions to initiate and expedite investigation on the Parliamentary Candidate of the NDC to substantiate the veracity of the matter put before you in promotion of fairness in the contest upcoming,” the group had urged EC in its petition prior to the December 7, 2020 presidential and parliamentary elections.
By Melvin Tarlue