Alban Bagbin, the Speaker of Parliament, has requested the Supreme Court’s clarification over its order for Parliament to remove James Gyakye Quayson’s name from its records, as the former Member of Parliament for Assin North.
This comes after some lawmakers voiced worries about how to carry out the Supreme Court’s judgment because the house’s standing rules do not clearly outline how to proceed with such a mandate.
Reacting to the matter, the Speaker of Parliament, said all activities the ousted Assin North MP engaged in since January 2021 would hold until steps are taken on the way forward.
“What has just happened is strong evidence that there is a need for clarification. Don’t forget that the order is predicated on a number of declaratory rulings by the court, it was not given in isolation.”
Alban Bagbin
The order was the fifth declaratory judgment, according to the Speaker of the Parliament, after four others. He asserted that other declaratory judgments had found the member’s election to be invalid and that, as a result, it was no longer valid.
“The order did not say the Speaker should expunge [his name]. It did not say any Member of Parliament or Clerk should expunge [the name], it says the institution called Parliament. So that institution must carry out the order. The only way the institution can carry out the order is for the institution to reason together.
“And that is only done in a sitting where the opportunity is given to members to think through it. I don’t want to assume powers that are not clearly spelt out in any law. So, I did indicate and mentioned to some members of the Supreme Court that there is a need for clarification.”
Alban Bagbin
On May 2023, the Supreme Court issued a directive for Parliament to erase James Gyakye Quayson’s record as the representative for Assin North from its books. The seat was subsequently declared vacant by Parliament, opening the door for a by-election on June 27.
I Will Win Assin North Constituency By-Election
James Gyakye Quayson, the deposed Member of Parliament for the Assin North Constituency, expressed optimism about regaining his seat in the June 27 by-election.
He declared that he was adamant about capturing the seat. “It will be a win-win situation. I am going to win. That’s all I can tell you,” he stated.
The statement comes after the New Patriotic Party chose a contender for the upcoming by-elections. The NPP primaries were held on Wednesday, and Charles Opoku, who is from the same town as Mr. Gyakye Quayson, defeated his only opponent to win.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Parliamentary Candidate claims that he is unconcerned by the fact that a resident of his community, Assin Breku, will challenge him for the position.
“Politics is not about where you’re coming from or your region. It is about what you can deliver to your people. Politics is about confronting the challenges and finding solutions to them and the people of this community already have that faith in me.”
James Gyakye Quayson
Mr Gyakye Quayson says he is not back in the race for “a politics of games [but] I am here to represent the well-being of the people of Assin North”.
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