Assin North MP Must Suffer Same Fate As Adamu Sakende – Godfred Dame
Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Godfred Dame, has said that the embattled Member of Parliament for Assin North, James Gyakye Quayson, should be made to face the same fate as the former New Patriotic Party’s Adamu Sakende.
He insisted that the cases are the same, same principles must be applied.
The late Adamu Sakende was sentenced to two years imprisonment for owing allegiance to both Ghana and Burkina Faso at the time he contested election to be a Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, an election he subsequently won.
Mr. Dame, therefore opined that there ought to be an even application of the law 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. 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.”
About the James Gyakye Quayson case
The apex court, in a majority 5-2 decision on Wednesday, April 13, ruled that Mr. James Gyakye Quayson can no longer carry himself as MP for Assin North.
This decision holds until the determination of the substantive case filed against him at the Supreme Court.
A Cape Coast High Court in July, 2021 nullified the election of Mr Quayson after it found he owed allegiance to Canada at the time of filing his nomination forms to contest the polls.
Michael Ankomah Nimfah, a resident of the constituency who filed this election petition in January, 2022, initiated another action at the Supreme Court.
He urged the Court to give effect to the Cape Coast High Court Judgement and prevent a further breach of the constitution by restraining the MP.