New Juaben South Member of Parliament (MP), Michael Okyere Baafi, has urged his Assin North colleague, James Gyakye Quayson, to tread cautiously in the case challenging his eligibility.
Mr Okyere Baafi says he expects his embattled colleague to be smart and act according to the law, especially when he has been ordered not to hold himself as MP.
To the former, Mr Quayson may at the moment have the support of his party [National Democratic Congress ], but at a point, he will be lonely as the party can no longer go further with him on whatever the consequences may be.
“Sometimes you have to be very smart. Your people can urge you on but at a time you will be lonely. That is what has happened.
“Whether he likes it or not he will only get the support of the party from outside. They cannot come in to help him. So if it is a jail sentence, you will suffer that alone,” he said in an interview with Accra-based TV3.
Stressing how severe events may unfold, he recounted the case of a former Bawku Central MP, Adamu Dramani Sakande on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party who faced the same situation in 2012.
“You did not conduct yourself well, you failed to meet the criteria to become MP and somebody has challenged you. We have had this situation before where an MP was imprisoned and the chances are that this guy will also follow suit.
“You saw this coming but they were cheering you up and you thought the cheering up will save you but we are talking about the law. When you are faced with the reality so will you face the law and consequences alone,” he cautioned.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has set April 13, 2022, to deliver its ruling on whether Mr Quayson should be stopped from performing Parliamentary duties or not.
This comes after a Cape Coast High Court in July 2021 nullified his election after it was found he owed allegiance to Canada at the time of filing his nomination forms to contest the polls.
Michael Ankomah Nimfah, a resident of the constituency, who filed this election petition, in January 2022 initiated another action at the Supreme Court.
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