Formal president John Mahama has reacted to the Supreme Court ruling barring the Assin North Member of Parliament (MP), James Gyekye Quayson from carrying himself as a lawmaker.
Mr Mahama says he 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.
He said 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 Ghana’s democracy.
In a Facebook post on Thursday April 14, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) 2020 presidential candidate said “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.”
The apex court by a majority decision of 5-2 on Wednesday, April 13, 2022, ordered Mr Gyekye Quayson to stop holding himself as a lawmaker.
Justices Agnes Dordzie and Nene Amegatcher dissented while Prof. Henrietta Mensah Bonsu, Mariama Owusu, Gertrude Torkornoo, and Emmanuel Yonny Kulendi voted in favour.
A Cape Coast High Court, presided over by Justice Coram Kwasi Boakye, had earlier ruled that Mr Gyakye Quayson was not eligible to contest the December 7, 2020, Parliamentary Elections because he bore dual citizenship before picking nomination forms from the Electoral Commission, Ghana (EC).
Fresh elections were, as a result, ordered to be conducted while Mr Gyakye Quayson was asked to cease holding himself as MP.
But the man accused of having Canadian and Ghanaian citizenship allegedly goes to Parliament to join in proceedings.