The National Democratic Congress’ parliamentary candidate for the Assin North bye-election, Gyakye Quayson, is ready to sacrifice for his constituents, even if it requires his imprisonment after the polls.
That’s according to his party’s National Organizer, Joseph Yamin, who says the constituents of Assin North are ready to vote for Gyakye Quayson to help speed up developmental projects in the area.
“We thank Gyakye Quayson for helping to speed up stalled projects after the 2020 elections. We are ready to vote for him in the upcoming bye-election. If he is imprisoned after being re-elected, we believe another bye-election will be organized, and that will help in the completion of the ongoing developmental projects,” said Yamin.
He emphasised that no one is more popular and appealing than the former MP of the constituency, hence the unwavering confidence of the NDC to retain the seat.
“We have a more popular and appealing candidate than any other parliamentary candidate in that area,” he told Obidehyie Ofori Amanfo, co-host of ‘Kuro Yi Mu Nsem’ show on Nhyira FM.
Mr Yamin says the NDC has no problem with the NPP’s candidate, Charles Opoku, apart from the fact that he ‘s not a registered voter in the constituency and should not have been eligible to contest.
The NDC insists that, the former Assin North Member of Parliament can still contest in the upcoming bye-election in the constituency despite an ongoing criminal case against him.
Speaking recently on JoyFM, the NDC’s Director of Legal Affairs, Abraham Amaliba said said the man who has been axed from Parliament by the Supreme Court for not renouncing his dual citizenship status before contesting the 2020 parliamentary election, has not been found guilty of any crime.
“Until and unless he is convicted and sentenced, nothing bars him from contesting. So the advice given to the party is that as of November 2020 when he received his certificate of renunciation, he is qualified to contest any election including presidential elections,” he stated.
Although some have questioned the party’s decision to retain Mr Quayson, Mr Amaliba says as long as he can be found innocent, the NDC is ready to take a “calculated risk.”
“Is there the possibility of him being acquitted and discharged? If the answer is yes, that will be a calculated risk to take. If we are talking about whether or not the law court will sentence him, it can also acquit him,” he said.
In 2022, James Gyakye Quayson was slapped with charges including forgery and perjury by the Attorney-General’s Office.
He is also accused of deceiving a public officer and knowingly making a false declaration.
The case was filed after the High Court in July, 2021 annulled the Assin North Parliamentary election results saying Mr Quayson was not eligible to contest the polls.
In May 2023, the Supreme Court upheld the High Court’s decision stating that Mr Quayson was not qualified at the time of filing his nomination forms.
It further held that the EC allowing him to contest when he had not shown evidence of renunciation of his citizenship of Canada is unconstitutional.