Mahama questions Supreme Court’s injunction on Assin-North MP

Former President and flag bearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama  has questioned the Supreme Court ruling restraining the Assin-North MP from performing his Parlaimentary duties. 

According to him, any decision that denies the citizenry a representation is a travesty of justice.

He also added it is an affront to the country’s democracy.

Mr Mahama made the comment in a Facebook post reacting to the Supreme Court decision restraining the Assin-North MP, James Gyakye Quayson from for holding himself as a law maker in an election petition case currently before it.

Mr Mahama questioned how an MP could be restrained from performing his legitimate duty over a case yet to be determined adding “Or is it the case that the outcome of the substantive case has been predetermined against him?”

“I cannot understand how an MP can be restrained from carrying out his duties when the substantive case to give finality to the question of his legitimacy has not been determined.Or is it the case that the outcome of the substantive case has been predetermined against him?”.

“The representation of the people is at the heart of our democracy. Any decision that denies the citizenry of representation is a travesty of justice and an affront to our democracy,” Mr Mahama said in the post sighted by GhanaPlus.com.

Stop holding yourself as an Assin-North MP told

The Supreme Court of Ghana on Wednesday, April 13 in a 5-2 decision ordered the MP to stop holding himself as a law maker until a determination of the substantive case filed against him at the Supreme Court.

3news.com report Justices Agnes Dordzie and Nene Amegatcher dissented while Prof. Henrietta Mensah Bonsu, Mariama Owusu, Gertrude Torkornoo, and Emmanuel Yonny Kulendi voted in favour.

Cape Coast Court annuls James Quayson’s elections, orders fresh elections

It could be recalled the Cape Coast High Court on Wednesday, July 28 last year annulled the election of the Assin-North MP, James Gyekye Quayson and ruled for a fresh election to be held in the constituency following a suit challenging the MP’s dual citizenship.

The suit was filed by a private citizen, a mason and a resident of Assin Berekum, Mr Micheal Ankomah Nimfah, at the Cape Coast High Court challenging the qualification of Mr Quayson as the MP-elect for the area.

The plaintiff claimed that at the time Mr Quayson filed his nomination, he was still holding onto his Canadian citizenship and failed to denounce his citizenship as required by law.

Ruling on the case, trial judge Justice Kwasi Boakye noted that it would be a scar on the country’s legal jurisprudence if the error is not addressed.

The court also said it would be a cancerous tumour should the December 2020 parliamentary poll results were allowed to stand.

However, months down the lane, the ruling is yet to be enforced, the MP still performs his parliamentary duties.

Source: GhanaPlus.com