Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Mike Ocquaye, has confirmed there will be no by-election at Mfantseman despite the death of the Member of Parliament(MP), Ekow Hayford.
He said the constitution is categorical that if an MP vacates his or her seat less than three months to the next election, a new one is not elected.
Prof. Ocquaye and first Deputy Speaker Joe Osei Owusu explained the provisions in the constitution on the floor of parliament Wednesday.
Addressing Parliament on Wednesday, October 14, 2020, the Speaker of Parliament urged the media and the general public to take note of the provisions of the law on such matters accordingly.
“Article 112 (5) speaks about by-election in such circumstances to have been held within 30-days after the vacancy occurred. It is qualified by sub-section 6 which reads very simple and plain and clear language. Notwithstanding clause 5 of this article, a by-election shall not be held within three months before the holding of a general election and of course, simple calculation tells that we are within the three months since this incident occurred, therefore, there can be no by election by mere calculation.”
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Meanwhile, the wife of the murdured Member of Parliament (MP) for Mfantseman, in the Central Region, Ophelia Hayford, is set to stand as the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) candidate in the 2020 parliamentary election in the area.
According to a report by Adomonline.com, Mrs Hayford, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), was selected at a meeting of the NPP on Tuesday, October 13, 2020.
Ekow Kwansah Hayford, the NPP’s Parliamentary candidate for election 2020 was killed last Friday, October 9, 2020, by suspected armed robbers.