The Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu has advised all Ghanaians to respect the re-election of James Gyakye Quayson as the Member of Parliament for Assin North. 

He said his election is the choice of the Assin North people and must be respected by all. 

Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday, July 4, after the swearing in of Mr Gyakye Quayson, the Suame MP said his members do not see Mr Quayson as an enemy. 

According to him, they will cooperate with him and work with him in the interest of the House. 

“We welcome our colleague. He enters this House rightly or wrongly, but he cultivated friends while he stayed here. I’m not sure that anybody can say that Gyakye Quayson is an enemy to him. We may disagree on a few things, but I believe that across the political divide, he made so many friends.”

“I believe the NDC wants to believe that the victory our colleague has chalked is a peak victory that will hurt the pride of the NPP, as the Minority Leader [Ato Forson] has alluded to. We must congratulate him.”

“On the other hand, we, the Majority also believe that it’s a momentary victory of a fantastic character. But that is the choice of the people of Assin North. And everybody must respect that whilst it lasts. The rest of it is in the hands of the Attorney General.”

Meanwhile, the Minority in Parliament has notified the House that, they will not participate in the business of the House on court days for their colleague James Gyakye Quayson.  

The leader of the NDC MPs, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson said they will rather join their colleague for his court hearings. 

The Ajumako Enyan Essiam lawmaker made this known on Tuesday, July 4, after the swearing in of the Assin North MP. 

“We wish to serve notice that the entire Minority will accompany our colleague today and any other day that he is to appear in court, and we are solidarising with our colleague and we will not participate in the business of the House anytime our colleague is in court and we will be withdrawing from the Chamber after this ceremony if the court processes happen today.”

The former Deputy Finance Minister also added that Mr Quayson’s electoral victory is a testament that Ghanaians are fed up with the Akufo-Addo government. 

According to him, it also means that Ghanaians cannot be swayed with money and virtual projects for votes.

“The people of Assin North have sent a clear message to all politicians and the government of the day especially, that they cannot be lured with money not be intimidated by threats, and it is the same message that Ghanaians are sending to us that in the year 2024, they will exercise their franchise based on their conscience and no amount of threats will dissuade them from voting out the administration that we are witnessing.”

“Ghanaians are really appalled by the abysmal economic mismanagement, poor governance, and increasing level of corruption leading to the unprecedented economic hardship being experienced by the people of Ghana, and the time has come for the political class to have a rethink about the worsening monetization of our elections and its negative impact for our democracy,” Dr Forson added.

James Gyakye Quayson was officially sworn in as the Member of Parliament for Assin North today, Tuesday, July 4, after winning the by-election held on Tuesday, June 27.

His election victory comes after the Supreme Court ruling on May 17, which declared his previous election illegal prohibited him from holding the position.

However, he successfully reclaimed his seat in the by-election and now assumes his role as the representative of Assin North.

His main rival, Charles Opoku of the New Patriotic Party polled 12,630 or 42.15% of valid votes to place second, while the 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 indicated that the turnout was very high.

Mr Quayson is being tried for forgery and perjury after he was charged by the Attorney-General’s Office.

He is also accused of deceiving a public officer and knowingly making a false declaration when he filed nominations to contest in the 2020 election when he had not renounced his Canadian citizenship.

However, he has filed a motion on notice at the High Court for a stay of proceedings, pending an appeal.

The applicant is praying the court for an order to stay the proceedings in the court pending the determination of the appeal filed in the Court on June 27, 2023.