Assin North 2020 parliamentary election results cancelled by Cape Coast High Court

A Cape Coast High Court has ruled for a fresh parliamentary election to be held in Assin North.

Until then, Mr James Gyakye Quayson the Member of Parliament cannot hold himself as Member of Parliament for Assin North constituency.

He is however not barred from contesting.

The judge, Justice Kwasi Boakye giving the ruling said the MP, James Gyaakye Quayson violated constitutional provisions and other statutory provisions that guided the country's elections.

The case of the petitioner is that the MP at the time of filing to contest the 2020 parliamentary elections, had not renounced his Canadian citizenship and thus held dual nationality.

He further stated that at the close of nominations on the 9th of October, the Assin MP had not still renounced his Canadian nationality.

He says the Assin North MP who still holds himself as the MP is in complete violation of Article 94 (2a) and the court should declare his election null and void.

On December 30, 2020, a resident of Assin North, Mr Michael Ankomah-Nimfah, filed a parliamentary election petition at the Cape Coast High Court challenging the eligibility of Mr Quayson to be a Member of Parliament.

He contended that the MP was not eligible on the basis that at the time he (Quayson) filed his nomination to contest as a parliamentary candidate, he was still a citizen of Canada.

Such an act, he argued, was against the express provision of Article 94 (2) (a) of the 1992 Constitution and Section 9(2) of the Representation of the People Act 1992 (PNDCL 284).

Among other reliefs, the applicant wanted the Cape Coast High Court to declare the nomination filed by Mr Quayson as “illegal, void and of no legal effect”.