A Professor at the University of Ghana, Ransford Gyampo, has attributed the victory of the National Democratic Congress candidate James Gyakye Quayson in the just-ended Assin North bye-election to his popularity that inched up due to the controversies he got involved in as well as sympathy votes and the general economic hardships.
Professor Gyampo said he was not surprised by Mr Gyakye Quayson’s victory.
“His popularity inched up, he got sympathy votes and the general economic hardship also helped [Gyakye Quayson],” he said on Ghana Tonight on TV3 just after the results of the Assin North bye-election were declared on Tuesday, June 27.
He added “For me I wasn’t surprised. I was rather surprised at the broad display of arrogance by the ruling party.”
Mr Quayson thanked all persons who supported him to ensure his victory.
Speaking to journalists just before he was declared winner of the Tuesday, June 27 by-election, he said “I believe in the rule of law and I do things according to the law. Also, I had the support of my constituents, not just the people of Assin North alone, my NDC fraternity, and people from the other side of the aisle which is the NPP who were supporting me. They may not be able to identify themselves publicly.
“I was treated unfairly but as I said I had to abide by the court’s decision. If they didn’t believe in what I did, now they know the results.”
He added “… Again the good people of Assin North have demonstrated that they have a conscience and they believe in me.”
He was declared the winner of the bye-election with 17,245 of the total valid votes cast.
He beat Charles Opoku of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and Bernice Enyonam Sefenu of the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG) to reclaim the seat.
His votes margin as compared to the 2020 results is over 1,300. In that election, Mr Gyakye Quayson polled 17,498 votes to beat NPP’s Abena Durowaa Mensah, who polled 14,193.
Mr Quayson, who was declared invalidly elected in 2020 by a Supreme Court judgement, will return to take his seat in Parliament.