James Gyakye Quayson, the freshly sworn-in Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin North, has received congratulations from John Dramani Mahama, leader and 2024 flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Mr Mahama in his congratulatory message in a Facebook post on Wednesday, July 5, urged the lawmaker not to renege on his duties to his constituents.
“What man attempts to put asunder; the Good Lord tightly holds together.
“Congratulations, Hon. James Gyakye Quayson, on your swearing-in, yet again, twice within the same parliamentary term, as the Member of Parliament for the Assin North Constituency,” he wrote.
James Gyakye Quayson was officially sworn in as the Member of Parliament for Assin North on Tuesday, July 4, after winning the by-election held last Tuesday, June 27.
His election victory comes after a Supreme Court ruling on May 17, which declared his previous election illegal and prohibited him from holding the position.
However, he successfully reclaimed his seat in the by-election and now assumes his role as the representative of Assin North.
His main rival, Charles Opoku of the New Patriotic Party polled 12,630 or 42.15% of valid votes to place second, while the Liberal Party of Ghana’s Bernice Enam Sefanu polled only 87 votes or 0.29%.
With a turnout of 74.23%, officials of the Electoral Commission indicated that the turnout was very high.
Mr Quayson is being tried for forgery and perjury after he was charged by the Attorney-General’s Office.
He is also accused of deceiving a public officer and knowingly making a false declaration when he filed nominations to contest in the 2020 election when he had not renounced his Canadian citizenship.
He has, however, requested a stay of the proceedings before the High Court in anticipation of an appeal in a move on notice.
The applicant is asking the court to issue a stay of execution while the appeal, which was filed in the court on June 27, is being decided.
The case has been postponed until Thursday, July 6 so that the attorneys can present their arguments.
