Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), has arrived in Assin North today, June 26, to review the constituency’s security readiness for the upcoming by-election on Tuesday, June 27.
Today, the IGP will meet with heads and members of the two major political parties that are contesting in the by-elections; the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
For their candidates to be elected, the parties have been running campaigns which ended yesterday.
Prior to the by-election, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo urged Assin North residents not to support a candidate who is now on trial. On Sunday, June 25, the President made a speech to a crowd in the constituency and stressed that in order for the constituency to experience the necessary change, voters should not support a candidate who has legal problems.
“They say even if Gyakye Quayson is in jail they will vote for him, are we going to vote for someone who is going to prison? What benefits will the people derive from voting for such a person? We want someone when he is voted fo,r can come to me and plan how to develop the constituency.”
Akufo-Addo
However, former President John Dramani Mahama informed him that there are differences between the facts of the cases involving Adamu Sakande, the late Bawku member of parliament who was sentenced to two years in prison after being found guilty of falsely declaring his office and perjury, and James Gyakye Quayson, the ousted Assin North lawmaker who is currently on trial for the same offenses.
“Don’t deceive the people of Assin North to believe that the two situations are the same. Adamu Sakande went to prison because he lied and concealed his passport. Gyakye Quayson has not hidden his passport. Prior to voting for him in 2020, Canada had accepted that he was no longer a Canadian citizen. What crime has he done?”
John Mahama
No Serious Campaign Messages For Assin North
Franklin Cudjoe, the founding President of Imani Africa, claimed that during the campaigning in Assin North on Sunday, June 26, in preparation for the by-election that would take place on Tuesday, June 27, he did not hear any meaningful messages from the political parties contesting for the seat.
He said he only heard of propaganda from the parties.
“Assin North by-election…I didn’t hear any serious campaign statement on how we were recklessly led limping to the IMF and how we will behave differently. Just high octane spin & spineless propaganda. What a waste!”
Franklin Cudjoe
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was also informed by Mr. Franklin Cudjoe, that the expelled Assin North MP James Gyakye Quayson is not guilty of any charges until the court rules that he is. His remark follows President Akufo-Addo’s advice to Assin North residents not to cast their votes in the by-election for a candidate who is currently on trial.
“Gyakye Quayson is not guilty of current charges until proven otherwise by a competent and credible court. Mr. President knows this, I suppose,” he wrote on Facebook.
READ ALSO: Assin North By-Elections: Gyakye Quayson Cannot Work From Jail- Akufo-Addo
