James Gyakye Quayson of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) will be making a return to Parliament after his constituents kept faith with him and helped him win the keenly contested Assin North constituency by-election on Tuesday.
Officials of the Electoral Commission declared Quayson the victor, raising his hand to signal the status as NDC officials broke into their 'Revo, Revo, has come to stay' chorus.
Mr Quayson who was ejected from Parliament last month following a Supreme Court decision annulling the 2020 constituency election, won the closely contested by-election with 17,245 votes representing 57.56% of valid votes.
His main rival, Charles Opoku of the New Patriotic Party polled 12,630 or 42.15% of valid votes to place second, while Liberal Party of Ghana’s Bernice Enam Sefanu polled only 87 votes or 0.29%.
With a turnout of 74.23%, officials of the Electoral Commission (EC), in interviews shortly ahead of the declaration of results, indicated that the turnout was very high.
Speaking with Joy News, Director of Elections, Dr. Serebuor Quaicoe said polling stations recorded over 50% voter turnout even before midday.
In declaring the 2020 constituency election null and void, the Supreme Court had said that Quayson, the winner, was not qualified to have contested. It consequently ordered parliament to expunge James Gyakye Quayson’s name from its records as a Member of Parliament.
Amidst warnings that Quayson risks jail term from the ongoing criminal trial he faces in court, the National Democratic Congress fielded him again, rubbishing the threat mainly by the ruling New Patriotic Party that he was a likely jail candidate.
Indeed President Akufo-Addo in a final rally ahead of the polls, had urged constituents to not waste their votes by voting for Quayson because he would waste their time with court litigation.
As it turned out, majority of the constituents did not agree with the president and stack with Quayson.
Latest Stories
-
Dialysis At 13: Ibrahim Mahama’s team visits Rosemary Boadu, presents extra GHS20k ahead of pre-transplant workup
17 seconds -
Akrofuom NCCE organises parliamentary candidates’ dialogue; only NDC attends
2 mins -
TEWU-TUC set to strike today over unresolved service conditions
7 mins -
5,000 aged constituents in New Juaben South partake in MPs ‘Shop and Go’ initiative
7 mins -
Deliberate policies needed to spur Ghana’s industrialisation drive – AGI
9 mins -
Election 2024: ‘Vote or others will decide for you’ – Kufuor urges Ghanaians
12 mins -
Bawumia will revive Ghana’s economy if elected with his ‘remarkable abilities’ – Kufuor
28 mins -
Be cautious and thoughtful in criticising Judiciary, others institutions – Kufuor
31 mins -
Nandom NCCE fosters youth patriotism for peaceful election
33 mins -
Keta NCCE engages basic schools ahead of December polls
33 mins -
Kufuor urges politicians to acknowledge development efforts of previous governments
36 mins -
Building a bold generation of leaders; Social Enterprise Ghana boss calls youth to action
37 mins -
Kufuor urges Ghanaians to accept election results to safeguard Ghana’s democracy
40 mins -
Ghana Social Enterprise Forum charts path for youth skills development
55 mins -
Let’s preserve Ghana’s peace beyond election 2024 – NCCE
1 hour