Evans Nimako
The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) has welcomed the Supreme Court’s unanimous declaration of the Assin North 2020 parliamentary election as null and void.
According to the party’s Director of Elections, Evans Nimako the ruling by the apex court vindicates their long-held position that James Gyakye Quayson was not qualified to be a Member of Parliament since he had dual citizenship.
Speaking on Accra-based Citi Fm, Mr Nimako said the Supreme Court has vindicated the position of the NPP and added that the party will meet its legal team and decide on the next line of action.
“We have always held the position that he [Mr. Quayson] was not qualified, and the Supreme Court has said so. We will meet our lawyers and decide our next line of action.”
He also added that the party is ready for a by-election in Assin North if the Electoral Commission commences processes for the same.
The Supreme Court in its ruling on Wednesday, May 17, 2023, ordered Parliament to expunge the name of the embattled MP from its records.
The court presided over by Justice Jones Dotse ruled that the Electoral Commission (EC) acted unconstitutionally in allowing the embattled Assin North MP to contest the 2020 parliamentary elections without proof of him renouncing his Canadian Citizenship.
The plaintiff, Michael Ankomah-Nimfah applied after securing a judgment at the High Court in Cape Coast injuncting Gyakye Quayson from holding himself out as MP after the court ruled that by being a Canadian citizen, he was not qualified to contest as an MP in Ghana.
The plaintiff also prayed the court to rule that upon a true and proper interpretation of Article 94(2)(a) of the Constitution, 1992 of Ghana at the time Mr. Quayson filed his nomination form in October 2020 to contest the 2020 Parliamentary elections for the Assin North Constituency, he was not qualified to contest as a Member of Parliament.
The case was heard by Justices Jones Dotse, Nene Amegatcher, Mariama Owusu, Gertrude Torkonoo, Prof Henrietta Mensa-Bonsu, Emmanuel Yoni Kulendi, and Barbara Ackah Ayensu.