Audio By Carbonatix
Former President John Mahama has described Supreme Court’s ruling that barred the Assin North MP, Gyakye Qayson, from performing parliamentary duties as a misrepresentation of justice.
The 2020 NDC flagbearer, in a Facebook post on Thursday, said the apex court's ruling is a deliberate display of disrespect to the country’s democracy.
“The representation of the people is at the heart of our democracy. Therefore, any decision that denies the citizenry of representation is a travesty of justice and an affront to our democracy,” Mr Mahama said.
In a majority 5-2 decision on Wednesday, April 13, the Supreme Court ruled that Mr Gyakye Quayson can no longer perform parliamentary duties.
This is until the determination of the substantive case filed against him at the Supreme Court.
But Mr Mahama has questioned the legality of the ruling when there is a substantive case pending before the Supreme Court on the legitimacy of the Assin North MP.
He thus suspects that the substantive case before the apex court has already been ruled against Mr Quayson.
“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?” John Mahama quizzed.
Meanwhile, the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice said the embattled Assin North MP, James Gyakye Quayson, should be made to face the same fate as the former New Patriotic Party’s Adamu Sakende.
The late Adamu Sakende was sentenced to two years imprisonment for owing allegiance to Ghana and Burkina Faso when he contested the election to be Bawku Central MP, which he subsequently won.
Godfred Dame believes that the cases are the same hence similar principles must be applied, and the law ought to be equally applied in the case of James Gyakye Quayson.
”I think that there ought to be an even application of the law, the same fate that befell Adamu Sakande, who was not qualified at the time that nominations were opened, and we all know what happened to him.
“Adamu Dramani Sakande found himself in a similar situation. As a result, he was not qualified by the time nominations were opened and was subsequently declared ineligible, and, for that matter, his seat was taken away.
"So there has to be an even application of the law. If it happened to Adamu Sakande of the NPP, it should happen to a gentleman of the NDC who finds himself in the same situation.”
However, CDD Fellow, Professor Stephen Kwaku Asare, is confident the Court will call for by-elections for the constituency.
As result, he has advised the Assin North MP to officially resign and run for the bye-election.
He further urged the legislator to try and win the election to “show us how wrong we do things and how inconsistent, and how incoherent our jurisprudence has become.”
Latest Stories
-
The Galamsey war and GWL’s fictitious and inaccurate rebuttal
6 minutes -
Afenyo-Markin demands answers over alleged GH¢22bn GoldBod loss
7 minutes -
GoldBod ‘Losses’: We’re not ignorant, we know our job – Afenyo-Markin
11 minutes -
GoldBod cannot hide behind agency role to escape accountability – Afenyo-Markin
22 minutes -
‘You don’t get to keep the fees and disown the costs’ – Afenyo-Markin challenges GoldBod
26 minutes -
GNPC turns 40, targets oil production recovery and $3.5bn fresh investment
36 minutes -
Minority will speak boldly on GoldBod losses despite attacks – Afenyo-Markin vows
40 minutes -
Moody’s upgrades EBID rating to B1, citing stronger finances and shareholder support
50 minutes -
GoldBod cannot make losses trading gold – Afenyo-Markin
57 minutes -
Papaye, KFC and Pizzaman customers among most targeted as TrustGH uncovers nearly 1,000 scam numbers cloning Google business profiles of major food chains
1 hour -
2026 U20 WWC: ‘We are in a tough group’ – Black Princesses’ Linda Owusu Ansah
1 hour -
2026 U20 WWC: Ghana’s Ambassador to Czech Republic welcomes Black Princesses to Poland
2 hours -
Oti NPP executives demand completion of stalled government projects
2 hours -
Jinapor demands answers as Alima Mahama is asked to pay for Embassy spending outside her tenure
2 hours -
Russia doubles scholarships for Ghanaian students to 240 annually
2 hours