Builsa South Member of Parliament Dr Clement Apaak has said that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is frightened over the decision by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to present deposed Assin North Lawmaker James Gyakye Quasyon for the byelection in the constituency.
He wondered why the NPP is afraid.
“Why is the NPP worried that we are fielding Quayson as our candidate for the Assin North by-election? That is our choice, its our risk if any, so leave us alone. We will field him 100 times, be informed!” he tweeted.
Why is the NPP worried that we are fielding Quayson as our candidate for the Assin North by election? That is our choice, its our risk if any, so leave us alone. We will field him 100 times, be informed!
— Dr. Clement Abas Apaak (@DrApaak) June 4, 2023
Mr Gyakye Quayson appealed to the people of Assin North to turn out in their numbers to vote for him in the upcoming by-election.
Mr Gyakye Quayson officially declared his intention to contest in the Assin North by-election on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
This comes after the Supreme Court ordered Parliament to remove his name from the records of the legislature.
In a statement on Thursday, June 1, Mr Quasyon said “I know that you, the people of Assin North, are ready for the bye-election.
“Since last year April, when the Supreme Court stopped me from performing my duties as your representative in Parliament, you have been without representation in the 8th Parliament of the 4th Republic. Like the people of the SALL Traditional Areas who are excluded from representation in this Parliament, you the people of Assin North too have been in that unacceptable situation for over a year.
“The bye-election, which must be held within thirty days of the decision of the Supreme
Court, according to the Constitution (Arcle 112(5)), will bring an end to this situation.
The will of the people of Assin North must triumph.
“Democracy must be restored. I urge you all to come out in your numbers to vote for me so I return to Parliament and continue the work I began to do on your behalf, towards advancing the Assin North development agenda.”
Prior to his decision to contest, the NDC had decided to present him for the by-election.
The Electoral Commission, Ghana (EC) selected Tuesday, June 27 as the date for the by-election.
The seat was declared vacant by the Clerk of Parliament, Cyril Kwabena Oteng Nsiah, after the Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, wrote to notify the Speaker on the decision of the Supreme Court on Wednesday, May 17.
- Supreme Court orders Parliamernt to expunge Assin North MP’s name from records
By a press release exactly two weeks afterwards, the EC says nominations for prospective candidates will be received from Monday, June 12 to Wednesday June 14 from 9:00am to 12:00pm and from 2:00pm to 5:00pm each day.
The forms will be available for download from Thursday, June 1.
“The filing fee for the election is Ten Thousand Ghana Cedis (GH¢10,000.00) per candidate,” the Chairperson, Jean Mensa, said in the press release.
“All completed nomination forms are expected to be delivered in quadruplicate.”
