The Mpraeso Member of Parliament (MP) has expressed support for Alan John Kwadwo Kyerematen, the former Trade Minister, as the most suitable candidate to lead the New Patriotic Party (NPP) as its flagbearer in the 2024 election.
The MP, Davis Ansah Opoku, emphasized that Kyerematen has made significant sacrifices for the party and deserves recognition and reward.
Opoku further argued that the NPP needs a fresh and charismatic leader to effectively challenge the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) John Dramani Mahama.
He believes that a new face would enhance the party’s chances of defeating their political opponents.
“I am campaigning for Alan Kyeremanten. I strongly believe that he’s the best person to lead. There’s one thing that we all must know in politics; people’s sacrifices must be rewarded.
“In 2007, when this party was at the crossroads in Legon, Alan singlehandedly took a decision and said that he was not going to contest a second round of the election and that he would allow his elder brother, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to contest. That was the highest or the height of a political sacrifice that I’ve seen.
“So for me, I feel that people have served. John Mahama has done eight years at the presidency, Dr. Bawumia has done eight years at the presidency and there’s a need for a new face for Ghanaians.
“For me, I believe that if the NPP were to go into the next election with a new face against John Mahama who has served eight years at the presidency, we’ll be able to defeat John Mahama easily,” he said on JoyNews’ AM show on Tuesday.
Defeated candidate for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Assin North by-election, Charles Opoku, has recently come under scrutiny for his alleged attempts to buy votes during the election.
Per reports, Mr Opoku allegedly distributed money and various items including; different types of fabrics, cement, roofing sheets, and farm tools to constituents in a bid to secure their support.
Despite his efforts, James Gyakye Quayson of the National Democratic Candidate (NDC) emerged victorious, securing 57.56% of the total votes cast, with a significant total of 17,245 votes.
The by-election in the Assin North constituency of the Central Region took place on June 27, 2023, following a high court ruling that nullified the 2020 parliamentary election in the area.
The court ruled that Mr. Quayson’s possession of both Canadian and Ghanaian citizenship rendered him ineligible to contest the seat.
Despite the nullification, Mr. Quayson continued to hold himself as the MP for Assin North, leading the petitioner, Michael Ankomah Nimfah, to take the case to the Supreme Court for an interpretation of Article 94 (2) (a).
On May 17, 2023, the Supreme Court emphasized that allowing Mr. Quayson to remain in office would undermine the administration of justice. As a result, the court directed Parliament to expunge his name from its records as the Assin North MP.
National Democratic Congress (NDC) stalwarts on Tuesday, July 4, 2023, set aside all other engagements to gather at Parliament and offer their resolute support to their ‘darling boy’, James Gyakye Quayson, as he was being sworn-in in Parliament
Former President John Dramani Mahama who is also the flagbearer of the party, National Chairman of the party, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, General Secretary, Fiifi Kwetey, among others, were all present to grace the occasion. Their presence was announced by the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin.
The MP in the past few years had been entangled in a legal battle over his failure to revoke his dual citizenship prior to the conduct of the December 7, 2020 general elections.
On May 13, 2023, the Supreme Court directed Parliament to expunge Mr Gyakye Quayson from the records of the house, and declare his seat vacant.
The directive led to a by-election, which Mr Quayson eventually won.
As he was being sworn in on Tuesday, his fellow MPs on the Minority side were in their numbers to support him.
The NDC MPs, all clad in white, greeted the re-elected MP for Assin North with exuberant cheers and resounding applause as he prepared to take his oath of office in Parliament on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
However, most members on the Majority side did not show up for the event.
Meanwhile, the MP is still in court facing charges of perjury and deceiving a public officer after the Supreme Court nullified his election as MP for Assin North for holding Canadian citizenship and being a Ghanaian when he filed his nomination to contest the election in 2020.
The Minority in Parliament has informed the Speaker that they will abstain from participating in the House proceedings on court days concerning their colleague, James Gyakye Quayson.
The leader of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) MPs, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, stated that they will instead accompany their colleague during his court hearings.
This announcement was made by the Ajumako Enyan Essiam lawmaker on Tuesday, July 4, following the swearing-in of the Assin North MP.
“We wish to serve notice that the entire Minority will accompany our colleague today and any other day that he is to appear in court and we are solidarising with our colleague and we will not participate in the business of the House anytime our colleague is in court and we will be withdrawing from the Chamber after this ceremony if the court processes happen today.”
The former Deputy Finance Minister highlighted that Mr. Quayson’s electoral success is a clear indication that Ghanaians are dissatisfied with the Akufo-Addo government.
He emphasized that this victory demonstrates that Ghanaians cannot be influenced solely by financial incentives or virtual projects in exchange for votes.
“The people of Assin North have sent a clear message to all politicians and the government of the day especially, that they cannot be lured with money not be intimidated by threats and it is the same message that Ghanaians are sending to us that in the year 2024, they will exercise their franchise based on their conscience and no amount of threats will dissuade them from voting out the administration that we are witnessing.”
“Ghanaians are really appalled by the abysmal economic mismanagement, poor governance, and increasing level of corruption leading to the unprecedented economic hardship being experienced by the people of Ghana and the time has come for the political class to have a rethink about the worsening monetization of our elections and its negative impact for our democracy,” Dr Forson added.
James Gyakye Quayson has been officially sworn in as the Member of Parliament for Assin North on Tuesday, July 4. This follows his victory in the by-election held on Tuesday, June 27, after the Supreme Court ruled his previous election illegal.
Quayson’s main opponent, Charles Opoku of the New Patriotic Party, secured the second position with 42.15% of valid votes. The Liberal Party of Ghana’s Bernice Enam Sefanu received a minimal number of votes.
The voter turnout was reported to be high at 74.23%, according to officials of the Electoral Commission.
Quayson is currently facing charges of forgery, perjury, deceiving a public officer, and making a false declaration regarding his Canadian citizenship during the 2020 election. He has filed a motion at the High Court for a stay of proceedings pending an appeal, seeking to halt the ongoing trial until the appeal is determined.
A Communications member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Edudzi Tamakloe, has stated that Dormaahene, Oseadeeyo Agyeman Badu II, merely made an appeal in his comments regarding the trial of the Assin North Member of Parliament (MP), James Gyakye Quayson.
Tamakloe finds it perplexing that such comments have drawn severe criticism.
“Were we not in this country when we saw the Okyenhene, Amoatia leading a group of chiefs in the Eastern because they said their roads were bad? It’s an appeal, beyond the appeal what else did he (Dormaahene) do?
“Did he say I am directing, I am instructing? No, he said, I am appealing to the President and the Attorney General that if he pleases them, they should file a nolle prosequi and discontinue this matter. What else has the chief said?” he quizzed.
According to Edudzi Tamakloe, the chief, who also serves as a High Court judge, made a harmless appeal that did not involve any attacks on the judicial system.
“He did not attack Godfred Dame, he didn’t attack the president. Compare that to the reckless and irresponsible commentary by Mr Akufo-Addo in Assin-North. Look he went to a church of Pentecost in Assin North, in a very highly prejudicial manner inciting the people and the court against Gyakye Quayson. It didn’t end there, he went to Assin Bereku Park and repeated those irresponsible highly prejudicial comments again.
“The president is a lawyer he knows that he is the appointing authority of the judge. He knows that the judge has taken a judicial oath to do justice to all manner of persons without being woe. But he was deliberate, very intentional and seeking to incite the court against the person of Gyakye Quayson,” he said.
Responding to the chief’s appeal, Attorney General Godfred Dame expressed concerns that such remarks could impact the fair adjudication of the case. He emphasized that any comment undermining the administration of justice is detrimental and should not be accepted.
Various prominent individuals have also shared their opinions on the ongoing trial, including President Nana Akufo-Addo, who advised Assin North constituents against voting for Mr Quayson due to the potential risk of imprisonment.
In the run-up to the NPP primaries, Vice President Bawumia has made a fervent appeal for a clean campaign, urging all party members to avoid resorting to insults to maintain party unity. Bawumia’s call comes as an effort to foster a positive and constructive atmosphere within the party and ensure a cohesive and harmonious approach towards the primaries.
As the race for the flagbearership of the party intensifies, ten individuals, including the Vice President, have submitted their candidacy for consideration. However, concerns have arisen as the campaigning gains momentum, with allegations surfacing that certain aspirants are engaging in a divisive and hate-filled campaign.
Addressing party delegates on the final day of his Greater Accra tour, Dr. Bawumia said, as one family, it is important for all camps to understand that the party would need a united front to face the “main enemy”, which is the NDC.
“We all should understand that the campaign we are having now is for an internal election. The main enemy in 2024 is the NDC. As we embark on the campaign, let us not speak against each other,” Dr. Bawumia said.
“We want peace, we want a clean campaign and we want a clean election. We don’t want anyone to go out there and speak against an opponents. Because after our elections, we will need everyone on board to tackle the NDC.
In a clear demonstration of his commitment to a clean campaign, Dr. Bawumia said he has asked his campaign staff and well-wishers to be mindful of their utterances in order to ensure the unity of the party.
“So I have told all my supporters and spokespersons that we want a clean campaign and they should not go out there and insult anyone.”
“We are one family so let’s all stay together. When the contest is over, we will all come together as one family and make sure that the NDC doesn’t come back to power. That is very important. Let’s keep the NPP in power and we want unity in the NPP.”
Dr. Bawumia rounded off his campaign in the Greater Region over the weekend with a visit to the Obom Domeabra Constituency.
Ahead of the highly anticipated primaries of the New Patriotic Party, a comprehensive vetting roster has been unveiled by the party to assess and evaluate the candidates vying for various positions.
According to a statement issued by Secretary to the National Presidential Vetting Committee, Evans Nimako, the vetting will take place from today, July 3, 2023, to July 6, 2023.
The first batch of candidates to face the panel today includes Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, former Trade and Industry Minister Alan K Kyerematen, and Energy Expert Kwadwo Poku.
Dr. Bawumia is making his first attempt to vie for the NPP flagbearer position, after serving as the running mate and Vice President under President Nana Akufo-Addo for two terms.
Mr. Kyerematen, popularly known as Alan Cash, has attempted to vie for the NPP flagbearer position twice in the past. The first time was in 2007, during the party’s primary elections for the 2008 general elections. The second attempt was in 2014, when he contested for the NPP flagbearer position ahead of the 2016 general elections. This becomes his third attempt to vie for the position.
Mr. Poku is a newcomer to the NPP flagbearer race, having declared his intention to contest earlier this year.
The second day of the vetting will see three more aspirants appearing before the committee. They are former Energy Minister Boakye Kyeremateng Agyarko, former NPP General Secretary Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, and Assin Central MP Kennedy Ohene Agyapong.
The remaining aspirants will undergo the vetting on July 5 and 6. They are former Food and Agriculture Minister Owusu Afriyie Akoto, former MP for Asante Mampong Edward Addai-Nimo, Economist Kofi Konadu Apraku, and former Railways Minister Joe Ghartey.
The vetting process is part of the NPP’s preparations for its presidential primary, which will determine the party’s flagbearer for the 2024 general election.
The party has appealed to all presidential aspirants to respect the timetable and participate actively in the vetting process, which is crucial for assessing their visions, policies, and plans for the country.
As of now, 10 candidates have successfully filed their nominations for the flagbearer race. However, only five candidates will make it to the final round of the vetting process.
During the vetting process, aspirants are provided with an opportunity to showcase their visions, policies, and developmental plans for the country to the National Presidential Vetting Committee of the NPP.
The presidential primaries, according to the party, will take place on November 4, 2023.
Allegations have emerged from the National Communications Officer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi, suggesting that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) made attempts to bribe Gyakye Quayson in a bid to persuade him to withdraw from the Assin North elections. Mr Gyamfi’s claims have brought attention to the alleged behind-the-scenes maneuverings in the highly contested electoral race.
According to Sammy Gyamfi, despite the attempts to bribe and intimidate him into backing off, James Gyakye Quayson remained resolute and stayed true to his people.
Sammy Gyamfi in a Facebook post, described Quayson as someone who embodies both fearlessness and meekness, with an unwavering conviction to fight for justice against all odds.
“Folks, not much has been said about the relentlessness of the MP elect for Assin North, without which victory may have eluded us. They tried to bribe him to back off. When they failed, they threatened him with jail. But in all these things, he was unwavering in his commitment and love for his people.
“Always calm but confident; humble but courageous; sober but inspiring; meek but fearless.His personal conviction and determination to fight for justice against all odds, even at the risk of losing his civil liberties, is the reason we are smiling today,” he said.
The NDC National Communications Officer emphasized that it was Quayson’s determination and willingness to defend what he believed in, even at the risk of jeopardizing his civil liberties, that ultimately brought smiles to their faces.
Gyamfi urged others to join him in celebrating Hon. James Gyakye Quayson, whom he fondly referred to as the “First Gentleman of the good people of Assin North” and the “Old Soldier.”
Gyakye Quayson emerged as the winner of the Assin North by-election held on Tuesday, June 27, 2023.
According to the Electoral Commission’s announcement, James Gyakye Quayson garnered a total of 17,245 votes, representing 57.56% of the total votes cast.
His closest contender, Charles Opoku of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), received 12,630 votes, accounting for 42.15% of the votes.
Bernice Enyonam Sefenu of the Liberal Party Ghana (LPG) secured 87 votes, which represented 0.29% of the overall tally.
A member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) communication team, Courage Makafiji Nunekpeku, has unveiled the purported approach employed by the NDC to thwart the ruling New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) alleged attempts to manipulate the Assin North by-election.
In the revelation made by Mr Makafiji Nunekpeku, the NDC strategically positioned teams at every polling station to closely observe the actions of the New Patriotic Party (NPP). Their primary focus was to monitor the NPP’s interactions with the officials from the Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC) and detect any potential instances of vote-buying schemes near the polling stations.
He said the NDC deployed teams at all the polling stations to monitor the activities of the NPP, particularly their engagements with officials of the Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC) and possible voting buying schemes close to the stations.
Makafiji Nunekpeku, who was the leader of the team at the polling station at Bramha DA Primary School, said that his team was able to stop the NPP from engaging in buying votes close to the polling station and also allegedly caught the former general secretary of the NPP, John Boadu, trying to induce officials of the EC.
“A team was put up to manage every polling station, and I was the leader of the team that was sent to Bramha DA Primary School. We got to the polling station at 5:00 am, and around 7:00 pm we saw people bringing in some huge ‘Ghana must-go’ bags, which were taken to a house nearby.
“We didn’t know what was in the bags, but later we were told they were full of money. We also realised that anytime someone came to the polling station, they were taken to that house before s/he comes to the polling station. So, we went there and told them that this can’t happen 50 metres close to where the voting was taking place. There was commotion there, and the police came to stop it.
“… some hours later, there was this long convoy of about 10 vehicles, led by John Boadu, the former secretary of the NPP… He (John Boadu) went to the presiding officer and gave them canned malt first, then he pulled out a bundle of money from his pocket and gave it to the guy. Immediately, John Boadu gave the money to him, I confronted him and told him he could not be doing that,” he narrated in Twi in an Accra FM interview on Friday, monitored by GhanaWeb.
He said that after confronting John Boadu, he (the former NPP general secretary) told him that the EC official was his in-law whom he had not seen for a long time and that was why he was giving him the money.
The NDC communicator added that as the confrontation was going on, another NPP woman came to tell him that his money was on the way coming, so he should stay calm, but he rebuked her.
He added that the confrontation led to the intervention of the police, who seized the money as evidence.
A video of the incident was played during the interview, and the police could be seen taking money, which is supposed to be the bribe, from an official of the EC.
About the Assin North election:
According to the Electoral Commission’s announcement, James Gyakye Quayson garnered a total of 17,245 votes, representing 57.56% of the total votes cast.
His closest contender, Charles Opoku of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), received 12,630 votes, accounting for 42.15% of the votes.
Bernice Enyonam Sefenu of the Liberal Party Ghana (LPG) secured 87 votes, which represented 0.29% of the overall tally.
The by-election in Assin North was held to fill the parliamentary seat left vacant following a legal battle that questioned Quayson’s eligibility to hold office due to dual citizenship concerns.
In his Republic Day message, former President John Dramani Mahama, who is also the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), emphasized the importance of upholding Ghana’s core values of “Freedom and Justice.”
He encouraged Ghanaians to embrace these principles as they strive for a fair and prosperous future. Furthermore, Mahama called on citizens to actively combat injustice and support freedom of speech, regardless of social status.
Below is Mr. Mahama’s full message
“Freedom and Justice” is not and cannot just be a mere adornment on our Coat of Arms. It must be a moral compass and a guiding light leading every Ghanaian.
Imagine a Ghana where freedom and justice are not just empty words but a powerful force guiding every citizen towards a brighter future.
A Ghana where every person, no matter their background or circumstance, is protected and provided for.
A Ghana where our institutions and courts are trusted to defend constitutional rights and deliver impartial justice.
A Ghana where speaking up against injustice is not criminalised but allowed and encouraged.
Let us renew our commitment to building this flourishing Ghana we all dream of, with the bold colours of our flag as a constant reminder of our shared values and ideals.
1st July is and shall remain Ghana’s Republic Day.
A member of the national communications team of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Emmanuel Kojo Mensah, has admitted that the party engaged in vote-buying during the by-election held in the Assin North Constituency on June 27, 2023.
The by-election was conducted after the Supreme Court ruled that the previous election of Mr James Gyakye Quayson in 2020 was in violation of the law due to his dual citizenship.
Mr Mensah explained that while the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) was openly sharing money, the NDC strategically addressed the needs of the people during the by-election.
He stated that the NDC focused on providing assistance to the people, particularly traditional farmers, instead of engaging in direct vote-buying.
During an interview on the Ghana Yensom morning show on Accra 100.5 FM hosted by Odehyeeba Kofi Essuman, Mr Mensah, who is also a lawyer, revealed that the NDC supplied wellington boots to the farmers to support their farming activities.
He emphasised the importance of addressing the needs of the people who had been deprived of proper representation.
Additionally, Mr Mensah cautioned the members of the NDC against complacency after the victory in the by-election and urged them to work hard toward a resounding victory in the 2024 elections.
He dismissed the notion that the victory in Assin North was a guarantee of success in the next elections, emphasising the need for the party to remain focused and dedicated to achieving its goals.
In summary, Mr Mensah acknowledged the NDC’s involvement in addressing the needs of the people during the by-election, while criticising the NPP’s open vote-buying approach.
He called for continued hard work and determination from the NDC to secure a decisive victory over the NPP in the upcoming 2024 elections.
Vice President of IMANI Africa, Bright Simons, has expressed his observation that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is experiencing the loss of key members, particularly at the grassroots level, in some of its core areas.
According to Simons, this decline in core members can be attributed to internal issues within the party’s systems.
Simons highlighted the recent Assin North by-election as an example, where he believes the NPP experienced a decrease in support compared to previous elections. He also mentioned the Kumawu by-election that took place the previous month, noting that a significant number of NPP voters were lost from what is traditionally considered the NPP’s stronghold, while the National Democratic Congress (NDC) maintained its support base.
Mr. Simons further observed that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) seems to have an advantage in terms of its usual support base in the Assin North constituency.
This advantage stems from the fact that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has experienced a decline in its traditional voting numbers in this particular constituency, which is considered a swing constituency.
Since 1996, the NPP has consistently garnered around 15,000 to 16,000 votes in the Assin North constituency, according to Mr. Simons.
“The core base [for NDC] is turning out and therefore they are sustained in their core base. The NPP on the order hand appears to be losing their core base in both elections.”
Mr Simons also linked the seeming depletion of the strong core of the NPP to “massive disgruntlement in their grassroots and to some extent the economic factors that are prevailing in the country.”
Kwesi Arhin, the Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Anyaa-Sowutuom constituency, has denied allegations of deception and extortion leveled against him by Janet Naa Ashong, a failed parliamentary aspirant in the NDC primaries.
Addressing the accusations made by Janet Ashong in a report filed by the Anchor newspaper, Kwesi Arhin clarified that while he did receive some money from her as a token, it was not given with the condition of assisting her win the primaries.
He emphasized that the total amount he received from Ashong was only GH₵3,500, contrary to the claim of GH₵20,000 being circulated by those he called his detractors with the intention of tarnishing his reputation.
In an interview with The Anchor on June 22, 2023, Chairman Arhin provided his side of the story, explaining that Janet Ashong gave him money on three different occasions. According to him, the first instance involved GH₵500 when she informed him of her intention to contest the primary and the second she presented GH₵1,000 to him at his residence, while the final sum of GH₵2,000 was given to him through Ashong’s driver on the election day.
The report further explained that Kwesi Arhin insisted that he never coerced Janet Ashong or any other aspirants into giving him money and stressed that the said gestures were voluntary contributions without any conditions attached. He then clarified that he accepted the money because other aspirants had also provided financial support, which he considered customary duties during the campaign period.
“I took the money on the premise that Allotey came, he gave me…I took it, Babangida came and gave, I took it. So, why will I reject her own?
“I was not the only person she gave the envelope. We were three, she gave this man an envelope, she gave the secretary an envelope and she never attached anywhere to it that this envelope I am giving you, do this A, B, C for me. Granted, she has told me that ok, this envelope I am giving you, you should use it for my winning, then I will be able to receive it or not. But she gave it to me like that, without stating any condition.”
“…so, I advised her to go and see the coordinators because they are the entrance to the branches. So, if you are going to see a coordinator and you give him GH₵200 or GH₵300 before you form a campaign team for me, is it a crime?”
“I never heard from this lady again until on the last day, they gave an accreditation to be given to the aspirants and their agents. So, I woke up early around 4:30 and I went to give it out. When I was even at the election centre, I was dozing off and I was there when somebody hinted me that the lady [Keturah] wanted to see me. I met her and she says, chairman, I have something for you. I asked what is it, and she sent her driver give me an envelope, I checked it and it was GH₵2,000. That was on the election day,” The Anchor quoted to have said during the interview.
It may be recalled that Janet Keturah Naa Ashong, reported that she has taken steps to seek justice from Nogokpo following her defeat in the party’s last primaries.
Janet alleged fraud and deception as her reason for seeking justice from the Nogokpo shrine in the Volta Region.
The report explained that Janet Keturah was alleged to have been manipulated into paying substantial sums of money to secure her victory in the primaries. She claimed that the constituency chairman, Kwesi Arhin, as well as other coordinators within the NDC caucus, demanded various payments to supposedly ensure she wins the slot, and that in addition, on the day of the primaries, she allegedly handed over an amount of GH₵20,000 to the chairman for different reasons.
The Director of Programmes and Policy Engagement at CDD-Ghana, Dr. Kojo Pumpuni Asante, has stated that the recent victory of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Assin North Constituency by-election has boosted the party’s confidence for the 2024 general election.
Dr. Asante believes that the party’s victory provides them with a sense of competitiveness as they approach the upcoming general elections.
“I think we are a long way from December 07, 2024. So, there are still many things to resolve. The NPP’s own internal party primaries have to be resolved to know who’s their candidate. That would help assess the strength of the candidates going into the election.
“For me, this [Assin North] election does give the NDC some more confidence about its own sense of competitiveness going into the 2024 election,” he said.
Dr. Asante suggests that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) should learn from its mistakes in the by-election.
He emphasized the need for the party to reassess its approach to utilizing the advantages of being in power, warning against creating impunity among voters as allegedly witnessed in Assin North, as it could have negative consequences.
Regarding the issue of vote-buying during elections, Dr. Asante proposed conducting undercover investigations to expose those involved.
He believes that relying solely on individuals voluntarily reporting such cases would be challenging, making it necessary to take proactive measures to address the issue.
“I’ve tried to press on the Special Prosecutor who is charged with dealing with politically exposed persons to get into the space because I really think it’s not just about vote-buying. I think it’s vote selling and vote-buying.
“So, I think this example has to be set in terms of even the citizens who are also receiving the money. But I think the tactics should also include undercover because you’re not going to really get people coming forward to say we’re receiving cash,” he added.
Head of Legal Affairs for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Abraham Amaliba, has reiterated the party’s opposition to the implementation of a daily trial mandate for their Member of Parliament representing Assin North.
An Accra High Court made the order last month in a criminal case the state has brough against the MP.
Amaliba holds that the order was discriminatory not just to the MP but also to his lawyers, because it means they will not deal with any other case except that of Quayson.
“Why, did the lawyers learn law solely because of Gyakye Quayson that they have to attend court every day?” he quizzed.
He maintained that the nature of Quayson’s crime as proffered by the state was no where close to that of Nana Appaih Mensah (NAM1) of Menzgold fame. Quayson’s case he stressed had not caused any loss of life or jobs as is the case with NAM1’s.
“Day by day trial, tell me, between NAM1 and Gyakye Quayson, who should be tried day by day? Obviously (NAM1) because lives and jobs have been lost. People can’t live their lives again.
“Tell me, who in Assin North has died out of Gyakye Quayson’s trial, so why should it be day by day?” he quizzed.
Gyakye Quayson is facing five counts of among others perjury and deceiving a public official in the filing processes to contest for the 2020 parliamentary elections at a time he was said to have held dual citizenship, that of Ghana and of Canada.
Nana Mensah is facing 61 counts of abetment of crime, defrauding by false pretences, carrying on deposit-taking business without license, sale of minerals without license, unlawful deposit-taking, and money laundering.
The accused person has denied the charges and the court on July 26, 2019, admitted him to bail in the sum of GHC1 billion with five sureties, three to be justified.
The court ordered him to be reporting to the Police every Wednesday pending the outcome of the case.
Former Chief Whip for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), and MP for the Asawase Constituency, Muntaka Mubarak has disclosed that he has returned to his first love, the teaching profession, after he was stripped of his position as the Minority Chief Whip.
Muntaka entered the Parliament of Ghana on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in 2005, through a by-election in Asawase in the Ashanti Region, where he won majority of votes; 11,142, to replace Dr. Gibril Adamu Mohammed.
Gibril Adamu Mohammed also of the NDC had won the seat in December 2004 but died shortly after his win in 2005.
Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka, prior to his parliamentary bid had served under late former President, John Evans Atta Mills as Minister for Youth and Sports until his resignation following allegations of corruption.
Before this, he served as a teacher but moved on from this after his political career began.
As Minority Chief Whip for over 10 years, Muntaka who has served in the 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th parliaments under the fourth republic, was replaced. A younger generation of Minority members in parliament took over the affairs of leadership in January 2023 and replaced persons like Muntaka, and Haruna Iddrisu among others.
Despite having protested this for a long time, attributing the reshuffle to deliberate efforts to oust him and his colleague leaders at the time, Muntaka accepted the decision after the intervention from some big wigs including former President, John Dramani Mahama.
In recent times, he has decided to go back to his ‘first love’; teaching which he was doing even before his political journey.
Muntaka who has a Masters Degree in Development Policy and Planning from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology had the opportunity to teach at GIMPA for a short period and had plans to continue his teaching when his party; the NDC won power in 2008 under the Mills government.
Speaking about how he has had to return to teaching as a way to give back to society following his replacement, Muntaka said with his position as an ordinary MP now, he has returned to teaching and is currently lecturing at the University of Professional Studies in Accra.
“I’ve always had this at the back of my mind that someday when I’m done with this job, the best way to share your experiences is to be in the classroom so that you share that with the younger generation of our country.
“So when this thing happened, I have some friends around – I used to be very busy, so now you wake up and you have the whole day to yourself, you don’t know what to do with it. It’s like if you are not in the constituency, you spend the whole time watching TV,” he noted.
“I told myself that ‘no, you can’t do that’, I mean with this huge experience, it is important that you try to share it. So graciously, UPSA offered me that opportunity, and for the past three months,” he added.
According to the Asawase MP, it is an experience he is willing to take up for a long time because he is enjoying it and hopes to influence younger generations with his knowledge acquired.
“I’ve been doing that and I must say that I’m really enjoying it. We have seminars where you share your experiences. We have a master class, you are talking about life experiences, how things get done, how things get knocked down, and believe me, it’s such a wonderful thing and I’m enjoying doing that,” he added.
The Volta Diaspora Caucus of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has extended its congratulatory message to the MP-elect for Assin North, James Gyakye Quayson on his landslide victory in the by-election.
The group, in a statement dated June 30, 2023, commended Gyakye Quayson for his hard work, dedication, selflessness, and humility, throughout the campaigning period in Assin North which earned him overwhelming support from constituents.
“Your hard work, dedication, selflessness, and humility exhibited throughout your interactions with your constituents have won their heart hence this overwhelming endorsement.
“The National Democratic Congress, Volta Diaspora Caucus, our MPs, and other identified groups in the party have all played their part in securing this much desired victory as a collective effort in fighting this inhumane injustice meted out to the good people of Assin North,” parts of the statement said.
The caucus also emphasized that the NDC’s all-inclusive approach, demonstrated during the election, would ensure that the Assin North constituency remains an NDC seat forever.
“This Assin North seat will remain in the bosom of the NDC for a long time if this all-inclusiveness style adopted by the party is maintained whenever there is such an election,” it added.
The Volta Diaspora Caucus, however, warned that the landslide victory comes with great responsibility if the party wants to remain appealing to the constituents of Assin North.
It further expressed its commitment to support James Gyakye Quayson, to stay connected with both the constituents of Assin North and the Voltarians residing outside the region to win the 2024 general election.
“We would also like to sound a word of caution by borrowing these words ‘To whom much is given, much is expected’, we believe the Volta populated areas will continue to burn for the course of the NDC so we as their caucus will continue to be in touch with them in your constituency and the many other voltarians living outside the volta region to ensure maximum impact on elections in Ghana.
“Assin North has spoken, Ghana has spoken, and the world is singing along. Your victory is a victory for the NDC going into the 2024 elections. The course of victory is continuing with full vigor, hard work, and passion throughout till December 2024 unabated. The victory of the NDC is coming again,” the statement added.
Member of Parliament for Assin South, Reverend John Ntim Fordjour, has refuted accusations of distributing money with the intention of influencing voters during the recently concluded Assin North by-election in the Central Region.
He emphasised that he did not participate in any such activities and urged the public to dismiss such allegations.
In a recent Facebook post, the Deputy Education Minister stated that the allegation, purportedly spread by Joshua Akamba, the former National Organiser of the National Democratic Congress, is false.
“My attention has been drawn to a false and malicious allegation made by Joshua Akamba.”
“I wish to state categorically that I never engaged in vote buying nor did I share money or goods before or during the Assin North by-election.”
Claims of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) engaging in vote-buying during the by-election have been refuted and dismissed.
The opposition NDC, has accused the governing party of giving out monies to some constituents to woo them to cast their vote for Charles Opoku.
The Director of Communications for the NPP, Richard Ahiagbah says the claims are false.
In response to the allegation made by the NDC’s National Communications Officer Sammy Gyamfi on JoyNews, he said, “Sammy went on a little run there to talk about lies and government inducement or party inducement, you see, those things are just not true”.
He rather expressed worry for future elections if political parties would peddle falsehoods as done by the NDC.
He challenged the NDC to come clean on the supposed lies that the NPP is said to have told during their campaigns.
According to Mr Ahiagbah, the NDC rather peddled lies even in their central campaign message to the constituents.
“I can tell you two grand lies or perhaps three or even four that the NDC peddled. The central proposition to the people was that one – they [NDC] want them to vote for the NDC’s James Gyakye Quayson because government wants to remove him from Parliament so we [NPP] can have a way to legalise LGBTQ in Ghana – blatant falsehood but that was their message.”
The rapid development of roads and other crucial infrastructure in the Assin North Constituency has reportedly come to a standstill prior to the upcoming by-election in the area.
According to reports, a significant number of contractors, who were appointed by the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo administration, have abandoned the ongoing projects and left the construction sites despite receiving funds from the government.
Peace FM shared a video showcasing an unfinished road development project in Assin Akonfudi, a community within the Assin North Constituency.
While a large portion of the road had undergone grading, only one side had been coated with a black substance, which could be tar or bitumen.
Interestingly, the substance has also been applied directly onto bare sand at certain points without the presence of gravels, unlike other sections of the road.
The residents according to Peace FM have been complaining bitterly about the abandonment of the road.
They are saying that the government was only deceiving them into voting for their candidate in the by-election.
About the Assin North election:
According to the Electoral Commission’s announcement, James Gyakye Quayson garnered a total of 17,245 votes, representing 57.56% of the total votes cast.
His closest contender, Charles Opoku of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), received 12,630 votes, accounting for 42.15% of the votes.
Bernice Enyonam Sefenu of the Liberal Party Ghana (LPG) secured 87 votes, which represented 0.29% of the overall tally.
The by-election in Assin North was held to fill the parliamentary seat left vacant following a legal battle that questioned Quayson’s eligibility to hold office due to dual citizenship concerns.
Koku Anyidoho, the former Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has congratulated his former party for emerging victorious in the Assin North by-election.
According to him, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) had also won the Kumawu by-election, which means both parties have maintained their seats in back-to-back by-elections.
The Assin North by-election, which took place recently, saw the NDC secure a significant victory in the constituency. In light of this outcome, Koku Anyidoho took to social media to extend his congratulations to his party on June 29, 2023.
He stated, “Congratulations to my NDC for winning the Assin North Seat. The NPP won Kumawu, we have won Assin North: Status-quo ante.”
Meanwhile, the Electoral Commission of Ghana declared James Gyakye Quayson as the Member of Parliament-elect for the Assin North constituency on June 27, 2023, following the conclusion of the by-election.
According to the Electoral Commission’s announcement, James Gyakye Quayson garnered a total of 17,245 votes, representing 57.56% of the total votes cast. His closest contender, Charles Opoku of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), received 12,630 votes, accounting for 42.15% of the votes. Bernice Enyonam Sefenu of the Liberal Party Ghana (LPG) secured 87 votes, which represented 0.29% of the overall tally.
The by-election in Assin North was held to fill the parliamentary seat left vacant following a legal battle that questioned Quayson’s eligibility to hold office due to dual citizenship concerns.
At a recent campaign event in Assin North, former Special Prosecutor, Martin A. B. K. Amidu, criticized President Akufo-Addo of acting autocratically.
Akufo-Addo on June 25, 2023 told party faithful that they should reject the National Democratic Congress’ parliamentary candidate James Gyakye Quayson because he was a potential prisoner even if he won the June 27 primary.
At the end of the vote, Gyakye Quayson, polled 57.56% of the total valid votes cast to be returned Member of Parliament-elect beating New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Charles Opoku, who secured 42.15% of the votes.
Amidu in a June 28 congratulatory message to the NDC and its candidate pointed out that Akufo-Addo had shamefully acted by his pronouncements and had perjured his oath of office.
“Shamefully, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the President of Ghana for the time being, jumped into the affray to undermine the decisions of the Courts and the rule of law by the autocratic statement he delivered at the rally in the Assin North on 25 June 2023.
“The President who has sworn a constitutional oath to “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana” perjured his oath, betrayed the Republic of Ghana, and created the impression that the weaponization of criminal justice administration as an instrument of a partisan political democratic representative contest by his Attorney-General was upon his express instructions.”
He continued: “Now is the time for the Nana Akufo-Addo to do the decent thing in beating a retreat by instructing his Attorney-General to stop the weaponization of criminal justice administration as an instrument of political persecution of opponents of the NPP by obeying the voice of the people and democracy with a nolle prosequi to undo the abuse of the Constitution they set in motion to unconstitutionally aid them at the by-election.
Amidu, who is a staunch advocate for constitutionalism and the rule of law, hailed the NDC’s victory in the by-election to the strength and efficacy of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution.
He commended the NDC for its success and lauded the individuals who prioritized the national interest, defended the Constitution, and supported democracy and the rule of law.
“The NDC must be congratulated by all patriotic persons who act apolitically in the national interest and believe in the defence of the Constitution and in the sustenance of democracy and the rule of law in Ghana.
“I take the view that Constitutionalism won in the Supreme Court, the Attorney-General failed woefully in weaponizing the administration of criminal justice, while democracy and the rule of law won massively at the Assin North by-elections,” the statement read.
The former Special Prosecutor Martin Amidu went on to criticize the actions of the Attorney-General describing him as the loser in the battle between constitutionalism, democracy, and the rule of law.
According to Amidu, the Attorney-General attempted to weaponize the criminal justice administration to undermine both the Supreme Court’s decision and the representative democratic process during the Assin North by-election.
He accused the Attorney-General of acting in a partisan manner and questioned President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s involvement in undermining the decisions of the courts and the rule of law.
“The loser in this interaction between constitutionalism, democracy, and rule of law is the Attorney-General whose office is guaranteed and entrenched under Chapter 8 in Article 88 of the 1992 Constitution to ensure his independence and impartiality in criminal justice administration as it affects citizens and the State.
“My long association with Court House Governance for almost two decades convinces me that Attorney-General tried weaponizing the instrument of criminal justice administration entrusted to his custody by Article 88 (3) and (4) of the 1992 Constitution to undermine first, the decision of the Supreme Court, and secondly, the representative democratic process guaranteed under the Constitution at the Assin North by-election,” he continued.
Martin Amidu praised the people of the Assin North constituency for their refusal to be swayed by the ruling NPP and their commitment to upholding their rights.
“The people of Assin North have proven that the majority of patriotic Ghanaians in the constituency understand their rights and cannot be bought by incumbency largesse. The people of Assin North have also sent a clear signal to all patriots in Ghana that truth must triumph over lies and deception,” he added.
The founder and leader of the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG), Kofi Akpaloo, has criticized both the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for their wasteful spending during the recent Assin North by-election.
According to him, both parties disappointed the country as the amount of money poured into the election campaign by both parties alone could have been used to construct 30 factories in the country.
“Both the NDC and NPP have let down the country. The amount of money they spent on this by-election alone can be used to build about 30 factories. They have really spent money,” he said.
He described scenes of people carrying money, seasoning cubes, and cement in broad daylight.
“You can find someone carrying ‘amane’ [herrings] on her head and you on top of it, you will find bundles of money being carried and is in full glare. A little after he or she will come back to collect Maggie seasoning cubes and salt, they really spent a lot.
“And for cement, it is as though they brought a cement factory into this constituency. In every environment in the constituency, you will find cement being shared. The NPPs were sharing, the same as the NDCs. This is the only job they came to do there.
Kofi Apkaloo also recounted witnessing a fight in Assin Bereku, with individuals claiming to have been cheated in the distribution of monies being given to them by the NPP and the NDC.
“Both the NPP and NDC have really paid huge sums of money in Assin North and none of them can deny that fact. This morning, I witnessed a fight here in Assin Bereku with some constituents claiming to have been cheated in sharing the money,” he added.
The Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG) presented the only female to contest in the Assin North by-election. The candidate, Bernice Enyonam Sefenu, polled 87 votes representing 0.29 per cent out of 29,962 of the total valid vote cast.
The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) says one of the things that went against them in the just-ended Assin North by-election was the fact that they had limited time to market their candidate, Charles Opoku.
The NDC’s James Gyakye Quayson polled over 17,245 representing 57.56% of the votes, while the NPP’s Charles Opoku managed 12,630 or 42.15% of the valid votes cast.
The General Secretary of the NPP, Justin Kodua Frimpong, says unlike the NDC, his party had a limited time in propagating their message to the electorate.
Speaking to JoyNews, he said “as a party, we did not have enough time. We had to go and quickly hold our primaries to elect our candidate, and yes Charles Opoku was elected within the shortest possible time.”
“We could not get the time to market him very well. It’s true, the time was very short against a candidate who had won elections in 2020.”
He explained that Mr Quayson was popular and already had a stronger support base in the constituency, and so if the party wanted to win the seat, there should have been enough time to market their candidate.
“This is someone who won the seat from us in 2020, and until the supreme court made a pronouncement that he could not hold him as a Member of Parliament, he was a Member of Parliament for the constituency, so he was definitely popular,” he said.
“In terms of reality in terms of what happened at Assin North, you can concede that there was an element of sympathy that went his way,” he added.
Mr Frimpong explained that the constituents felt their MP had been treated unfairly hence the need to re-elect him into the office to fulfill the promises made to them.
He, however, says vital lessons would be gleaned from the election for a stronger comeback in 2024.
However, a political science lecturer at the University of Ghana says the discerning nature of the electorates in Assin North came to play in the by-election.
Prof Ransford Gyampo noted that the governing party seemed to have underestimated the voters’ capacity to interpret hidden meanings and intentions behind some strategies implemented.
Prof Gyampo further noted that the residents comprehended the motives behind the sudden surge in developmental projects and the attempts at vote buying.
As a result, the lecturer believes they chose to “teach them [NPP] a lesson” by voting for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate, James Gyakye Quayson.
Renowned journalist, Kwesi Pratt Jnr., has advocated for an increase in the number of by-elections in Ghana, citing the ongoing by-election in the Assin North constituency as an example.
The by-election has been necessitated by the eviction of Mr James Gyakye Quayson from Parliament after a Supreme Court ruling that went against him over claims that he held dual citizenship at the time he was elected in 2020.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has however put James Gyakye Quayson up again to contest the seat against the ruling New Patriotic Party’s candidate, Charles Opoku.
41,168 electorates are casting their votes at 99 polling stations in today’s by-election in the Assin North constituency.
Kwesi Pratt, speaking on Peace FM’s ‘Kokrokoo’ programme, enjoyed the feel of a by-election as he recounted how quick developmental projects are undertaken in communities where the by-election is being held.
The Vice President of the Republic, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, prior to the Assin North by-election, commissioned a 31-kilometre stretch of road from Assin Fosu to Assin Praso in the constituency.
Similarly, during the Kumawu by-election, road construction machinery was spotted in the vicinity as works on the roads were fast-tracked days to the by-election.
Although the government says these projects weren’t done to leverage votes, some Ghanaians however don’t believe it.
To Kwesi Pratt, these activities by government tell that “by-elections are very sweet”.
He so hoped there would be another by-election at Assin North, Ayawaso West Central, Kumawu and other constituencies since it appears the only time government pays attention to the plight of the people is when they are seeking their votes.
“If I were at Assin North, I would pray for another by-election,” he laughed heartily, stressing “there should be more by-elections in this country”.
More congratulatory messages from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) are trooping in for Member of Parliament-elect for Assin North, James Gyakye Quayson.
John Ntim Fordjour, the Member of Parliament for Assin South, is the latest to extend his heartfelt congratulations to James Gyakye Quayson, the newly elected Member of Parliament for Assin North Constituency.
James Gyakye Quayson emerged victorious in the highly anticipated by-election held on June 27, defying the odds and overcoming significant opposition from the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government.
The electoral victory of James Gyakye Quayson is remarkable, considering the challenges he faced in his political journey since 2021.
Just last month, he was ousted from office following a Supreme Court ruling that nullified his candidature in the 2020 polls.
Furthermore, his name had been expunged from parliamentary records, making his re-entry into the political arena a significant uphill battle.
The decision by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to present Quayson as their candidate was seen as a daring move, fraught with risks.
However, the party’s gamble has paid off, as the people of Assin North have once again shown their faith in Quayson by electing him to represent their interests in Parliament.
John Ntim Fordjour, a fellow parliamentarian and proud native of Assin, took to social media to commend Quayson’s triumph.
“Congratulations to my own Assin brother Hon James Gyakye Quayson, MP-Elect for Assin North Constituency and the @OfficialNDCGh on the electoral victory. Grateful to all NPP members and stalwarts who joined hands with us to put up a spirited campaign. In the end, all we have is one Assin North, one Assinman and One Ghana. God bless us all!” he tweeted.
The by-election in Assin North Constituency was highly contentious, with both major political parties actively campaigning and the presidency throwing its weight behind the New Patriotic Party’s candidate, Charles Owusu.
Prominent figures, including presidential flagbearers, attended rallies in Assin North, underscoring the significance of the contest.
However, in the end, it was James Gyakye Quayson who emerged victorious, earning the trust and support of the electorate.
Special aide to former President John Dramani Mahama, Joyce A. Bawah Mogtari (Esq.), has highlighted some major factors that led to the defeat of the NPP in the just ended Assin North by-election.
He attributed the humiliating loss of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the recent Assin North by-election to the abuse of incumbency, which was prominently on display during the campaign.
Mogtari also raised concerns about President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s premature comments on the ongoing legal case involving James Gyakye Quayson and the use of bribery and vote-buying tactics by the government to secure the seat.
The Assin North by-election, which ended in a resounding victory for Hon. James Gyakye Quayson of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has brought to light the issue of incumbency abuse within Ghanaian politics.
Mogtari pointed out that the NPP’s loss was partly due to their misuse of the advantages that come with being in power.
“One of the fallouts from the recent Assin North by-election, where the NPP received a humiliating loss, was the incumbency abuse, which was on full display,” Mogtari stated.
She expressed concern over President Akufo-Addo’s bold statements about Quayson potentially going to prison while the legal case was still ongoing.
Such premature comments, according to Mogtari, raise questions about the fairness of the process and may have influenced voters.
Moreover, Mogtari raised another issue regarding the use of questionable tactics to sway voters. She criticised the government’s resort to bribery and vote-buying, deeming it an insult to the intelligence of the electorate.
Mogtari emphasised that last-minute inducements, such as promises of road construction, cannot compensate for years of neglect and inadequate representation.
“The victory of justice and humility over abuse and arrogance shows that the people are awake and will no longer tolerate incumbency abuse in our politics,” Mogtari asserted.
Charles Nii Teiko Tagoe on Tuesday evening congratulated the opposition National Democratic Congress and its candidate in the June 27 Assin North by-election.
Tagoe became the first known NPP person to post a congratulatory message to the NDC and James Gyakye Quayson even before official results were announced.
“Congratulations to the NDC, MP-elect,” his post on facebook read.
The NDC through its own collation had projected a 57% victory for Quayson hours after polls closed across the 99 polling stations in the constituency.
Hours later, Gyakye Quayson was announced the winner after the Electoral Commission of Ghana officially declared him as the Member of Parliament-elect.
According to the Electoral Commission’s announcement, James Gyakye Quayson garnered a total of 17,245 votes, representing 57.56% of the total votes cast.
His closest contender, Charles Opoku of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), received 12,630 votes, accounting for 42.15% of the votes.
Bernice Enyonam Sefenu of the Liberal Party Ghana (LPG) secured 87 votes, which represented 0.29% of the overall tally.
The by-election in Assin North was held to fill the parliamentary seat left vacant following a legal battle that questioned Quayson’s eligibility to hold office due to dual citizenship concerns.
A section of voters in the Assin North Constituency were captured on video celebrating the victory of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate James Gyakye Quayson.
About a half dozen of the supporters at the back of a pickup are heard singing a song to the effect that they have spent Charles Opoku’s money.
“We have spent, we have spent, we have spent ooooo, Charles Opoku’s money, we have spent. Here is not not Kumawu,” one of them is heard adding after the chorus of their song ends.
Even before the Electoral Commission formally announced results, NDC supporters took to the streets celebrating their victory citing wins in New Patriotic Party (NPP) strongholds in the constituency.
Pollster Ben Ephson is defending his reputation following his failed prediction in the Assin North by-election results.
He addressed the backlash has received on social media after his incorrect prediction regarding the outcome of the Assin North by-election.
Ben Ephson, who serves as the Managing Editor of Daily Dispatch, had initially forecasted a victory for the New Patriotic Party’s Charles Opoku over the National Democratic Congress’ James Gyakye Quayson.
However, the results from Tuesday’s June 27,2023, by-election revealed a victory for the NDC parliamentary candidate, with an expanded margin compared to the 2020 elections. The result led to social media users mocking Ben Ephson for his recent prediction blunder.
In response to the criticism, he has acknowledged his error in judgment but emphasized his extensive track record in election forecasting. He pointed out that he has accurately predicted the outcomes of seven elections since 1996, with only one incorrect prediction occurring in 2016.
During an interview on 3FM on June 27, 2023, he expressed his resilience in the face of criticism, stating, “From 1996, I got it spot-on, these things don’t bother me because I’ve got a track record,” 3news.com quoted him to have said.
He highlighted that the backlash he received in 2016 was more severe than the current situation and reassured that it would not deter him from making future predictions.
“What if I got it right? I’m kind of used to it.”
The Electoral Commission of Ghana officially declared James Gyakye Quayson as the Member of Parliament-elect for the Assin North constituency following the conclusion of the by-election. Quayson, who contested on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), emerged victorious with a significant margin.
According to the Electoral Commission’s announcement, James Gyakye Quayson garnered a total of 17,245 votes, representing 57.56% of the total votes cast. His closest contender, Charles Opoku of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), received 12,630 votes, accounting for 42.15% of the votes. Bernice Enyonam Sefenu of the Liberal Party Ghana (LPG) secured 87 votes, which represented 0.29% of the overall tally.
The by-election in Assin North was held to fill the parliamentary seat left vacant following a legal battle that questioned Quayson’s eligibility to hold office due to dual citizenship concerns.
Joseph Ade Coker, the former Greater Accra Regional chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has appealed for an end to the criminal prosecution of James Gyakye Quayson after his recent triumph in the Assin North by-election
Ade Coker, recognizing Gyakye Quayson’s victory as a strong vote of confidence from the people of Assin North, has urged the government to avoid continuing the case. He called upon the country’s elders to advise the government to withdraw the case in the interest of peace.
“The people of Assin North have spoken; they prefer Gyakye Quayson to continue serving as their Member of Parliament. We have reached a point where the elders of this country should step in and counsel the government to withdraw the case from court, allowing us to move forward,” myjoyonline.com quoted him to have said in an interview.
Ade Coker believes that the election has been concluded, with Gyakye Quayson securing victory, and there is no reason to prolong the legal matter.
“The case must be withdrawn from the court and we must move on. The verdict of the people is very clear; we want this country to be on a peaceful note rather than in turmoil. We have passed that stage, the matter is finished, the election has been held, the man has won overwhelmingly. There’s no need for us to continue any court issue,” he added.
Gyakye Quayson is currently facing charges of perjury and forgery related to his Canadian citizenship status at the time of filing his nomination forms for the 2020 parliamentary election.
The legal proceedings against Gyakye Quayson arose following a Supreme Court ruling that deemed the Electoral Commission’s decision to allow him to contest the 2020 polls without proof of renouncing his Canadian citizenship unconstitutional.
The apex court instructed Parliament to expunge Gyakye Quayson’s name from its records, nullifying his election and declaring it to be of no effect. Furthermore, his swearing-in was deemed unconstitutional.
The Electoral Commission of Ghana has officially declared James Gyakye Quayson as the Member of Parliament-elect for the Assin North constituency following the conclusion of the by-election. Quayson, who contested on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), emerged victorious with a significant margin.
According to the Electoral Commission’s announcement, James Gyakye Quayson garnered a total of 17,245 votes, representing 57.56% of the total votes cast. His closest contender, Charles Opoku of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), received 12,630 votes, accounting for 42.15% of the votes. Bernice Enyonam Sefenu of the Liberal Party Ghana (LPG) secured 87 votes, which represented 0.29% of the overall tally.
Ghanaian actor and politician, John Dumelo, recently issued a warning to Lydia Alhassan Seyram, his contender in the 2020 parliamentary race for theAyawaso West Wuogon Constituency.
He advised her to be prepared for a potential defeat in the upcoming 2024 polls.
Dumelo conveyed this message through a tweet on June 27, 2023. His statement came after he celebrated the victory of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Assin North by-election, where James Gyakye Quayson of the NDC emerged triumphant, defeating Charles Opoku of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
John Dumelo, who contested the Ayawaso West Wuogon seat on the NDC ticket for the first time in the previous election, made his intentions clear with a tweet that read, “Lydia Seyram Alhassan, your downfall is next!”
The Ayawaso West Wuogon constituency has been a hotspot for both NPP and NDC. In the 2020 elections, Dumelo and Lydia Alhassan fought a closely contested race, with Seyram emerging as the winner.
However, Dumelo’s warning suggests that he remains determined to claim the seat in the upcoming elections.
The NDC candidate for Assin North defeated the NPP candidate, marking a significant win for the opposition party.
According to the Electoral Commission’s announcement, James Gyakye Quayson garnered a total of 17,245 votes, representing 57.56% of the total votes cast.
Bernice Enyonam Sefenu of the Liberal Party Ghana (LPG) secured 87 votes, which represented 0.29% of the overall tally.
The by-election in Assin North was held to fill the parliamentary seat left vacant following a legal battle that questioned Quayson’s eligibility to hold office due to dual citizenship concerns.
Despite extensive campaigning against his candidacy by the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government, James Gyakye Quayson emerged victorious in the Assin North by-election held on June 27.
Quayson, who was previously removed from his position as Member of Parliament due to a Supreme Court ruling that nullified his candidacy in the 2020 elections, also had his name expunged from parliamentary records.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) took a calculated risk by nominating him as their candidate, but their gamble has ultimately paid off as Quayson’s win in the election demonstrates.
Below are five reasons Gyakye Quayson prevailed despite the stiff odds he came up against
Sympathy votes from ouster
The nature of his ouster was widely contested by the NDC and other legal luminaries like Prof. Kwaku Azar; which sentiment seemed to have sunk by way of the NDC’s campaign.
Development blitz by NPP
The presidency and relevant ministries descended on the constituency with projects upon projects.
A section of the voters openly spoke about their anger that the government abandoned them all that while and sought to win the polls using last-minute projects.
Ongoing criminal trial by government
Gyakye Quayson’s criminal trial at the High Court is also a factor that analysts believe played in the interest of the embattled MP.
Well-oiled NDC campaign
The NDC knowing the political implications of the outcome of the vote in relation to the 2024 polls deployed a well oiled campaign that involved all officials across the national, regional and constituency levels.
This was evident in the way the party collated its results, matching the official results with slight percentage points.
Massive show of support by Minority
Almost all NDC MPs were deployed to the campaign grounds at different times with his former colleagues serving as polling station executives across the constituency.
Weeks before the vote, northern MPs, Ashanti, Volta and Greater Accra MPs were strategically deployed to specific zones that had specific ethnic demographics to drum home the strength of the MP-elect.
James Gyakye Quayson wins back Assin North seat for NDC
National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) James Gyakye Quayson is set to make his triumphant return to Parliament after being stripped of his position by the Cape Coast High Court over his dual citizenship.
Mr Gyakye Quayson on Tuesday, June 27, beat his closest contender, Charles Opoku of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Assin North by-election by obtaining 17,245 votes out of the total valid votes of 29,962, representing 57.56 per cent.
Mr Charles Opoku, on the other hand, garnered 12,630 of the votes cast, representing 42.17 per cent while Bernice Enyonam Sefenu of the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG) secured 87 votes.
Tuesday’s election was marked by electoral malpractices such as bribery and vote-buying, as well as the arrest of some recalcitrants who posed as security officers.
For the opposition National Democratic Congress, their candidate’s victory drums home the dissatisfaction in the incumbent government by the people of Assin North due to the lack of developmental projects.
Assin North only observed the rehabilitation of some bad roads by the government a few weeks towards the by-election.
However, the government refuted claims suggesting that the initiative was to influence the electorate to swing towards the government.
For over two years, Assin North Constituency could not boast of a stable representative in Parliament, as Mr Quayson, who emerged winner in the 2020 Assin North Parliamentary election, was dragged to court by one Michael Ankomah Nimfah for contesting while in possession of Canadian and Ghanaian citizenship.
The Cape Coast High Court after hearing both the petitioner and respondent in July 2021, nullified the Assin North election on the basis that Mr Quayson had dual citizenship.
Nonetheless, Mr Quayson continued to parade himself as a legislator, prompting the petitioner to take his case to the Supreme Court for interpretation of Article 94 (2) (a).
In April 2022, the apex court instructed Mr Quayson to stop holding himself as an elected MP until the determination of the suit challenging his election.
The court also ordered him to abstain from any Parliamentary business and also refrain from engaging in activities pertaining to an MP. Mr Quayson’s lawyers subsequently filed an appeal but the Supreme Court dismissed it.
In its ruling on May 17, the Supreme Court directed Parliament to expunge Mr Quayson’s name from its records, arguing that it would not ignore the submissions on the continued disregard of the orders of the High Court which have not been suspended or overturned.
According to the court, allowing Mr Quayson to remain in the capacity as MP “will be an indictment of the administration of justice.”
Following this, Parliament declared the Assin North seat vacant and a by-election was scheduled by the Electoral Commission (EC).
The NDC believes their triumph in the by-election is a stepping stone to an assured victory in the upcoming polls.
Despite Mr Quayson’s re-election, he risks losing his freedom as he has been accused of forgery and perjury related to certain offenses during the lead-up to the 2020 Assin North parliamentary election.
An Accra High Court has ruled that the trial involving James Gyakye Quayson will proceed on a day-to-day basis starting from Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) appears to have given up the fight so quickly in the ongoing Assin North by-election as its Director for IT, Eric Ntori, has conceded defeat even before the official results of the elections have been declared by the Electoral Commission (EC).
In an interview with JoyNews monitored by The Independent Ghana, Mr Ntori disclosed that data available at the EC strongroom indicates that the NPP is lagging behind in terms of the results.
Director for IT, Eric Ntori
“It hasn’t been easy but it’s all good. Looking at our preparation, it’s been good but this is an election and it didn’t go well for us but it doesn’t matter that we lost it all. I think we will go back to the drawing board again and come back in 2024 and make sure we can snatch the seat again,” he said.
He made the remarks while the EC was still compiling the results. He, however, expressed high optimism that the party will bounce back better in the 2024 general elections.
The Deputy Communication Director for the NDC, Malik Basintale, has confidently assured the NPP that the NDC would emerge victorious in the Assin North by-election, regardless of any efforts made by the opposing party to seize power.
Malik believes that nothing the New Patriotic Party will do will turn the hearts and minds of the Assin North constituents away from the National Democratic Party.
According to Malik Basintale, the NDC is unbothered about the monies and tokens the NPP is sharing to the constituents.
He added that the NPP could share human parts or free visas to heaven, but their fate of losing woefully in the by-election will not change.
The Communication Officer was speaking on the ‘Point of View’ on Citi TV.
“I can confidently say that even if the NPP decides to share human parts and free visas to heaven, we will defeat them in the by-election. I can confidently say that from where I am, we have been interrogating people, and interacting with them throughout the processes. We have availed ourselves to listen to their concerns. What we are able to solve we have solved, what we are able to improve upon we have done that,” Malik said.
The keenly contested race for the Assin North seat is between the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate, Charles Opoku and James Gyakye Quayson of the NDC whose seat in parliament has been in contention following nationality claims after he was voted as MP back in 2020.
Meanwhile, a new poll conducted by the Global InfoAnalytics has revealed that Charles Opoku, holds a slim advantage over James Gyakye Quayson in Tuesday’s by-election.
The poll which was conducted ahead of the by-election showed that some 45.6 percent of respondents expressed their desire to vote for James Gyakye Quayson, while 46.7 percent declared their intention to vote for Charles Opoku.
It further showed that some 6.9 percent of respondents remain undecided about the candidate to vote for who. This could prove pivotal in determining the final outcome of the election according to Global InfoAnalytics.
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An unprovoked attack against the National Youth Organiser of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), George Opare Addo, by some thugs believed to be members of the New Patriotic Party, resulted in the destruction of his plush 4×4 vehicle.
Assin North: Pablo(NDC National Youth Organiser) speaks on his attack#RepublicNews
The windscreen of the vehicle, one of the front window frames and the rear window have been damaged after the men attacked the vehicle.
The by-election in Assin North was held to fill a vacant parliamentary seat, drawing significant attention from political parties and constituents alike.
It was supposed to be a peaceful exercise of democratic rights, however, this incident appears to have tainted the image of the election.
A young man believed to be in his twenties has confessed to taking a sum of GHC 200 from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) as an incentive to vote for the party.
However, in an unexpected turn of events, he disclosed in the video above that he did not cast his ballot in favor of the NPP candidate in the Assin North by-election since he is an astute member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
There were earlier claims that both parties were engaging in vote buying but these claims were treated as mere speculations since there were no substantial evidence to
This young man’s revelation, however, adds a new twist to the discourse since it confirms the claims. back them.
Meanwhile two executives of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) were attacked on Tuesday in Assin Praso amidst the Assin North by-election.
Per reports, NDC Communications Officer, Sammy Gyamfi, and his deputy, Malik Basintale were victims of an attack allegedly orchestrated by members of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).
In a viral video on social media, the vehicle said to be that of Sammy Gyamfi’s had its rear window damaged in what looked like a gunshot. Mr Malik Basintale’s vehicle was in a far more devastating state.
“I took their 200Ghc and still voted against them(NPP)”
Kwame Governs Agbodza, Member of Parliament for Adaklu has alleged that 500 soldiers have been deployed to Assin North where a crucial by-election is taking place today, June 27.
He wondered why a security task known to be strictly undertaken by the police, which point has been buttressed by the Inspector-General of Police, is being augmented with the military without any concrete explanations.
“The IGP has made it clear that elections security is the responsibility of the Police. So what duties will the 500 soldiers deployed and on their way to Assin North be performing tomorrow?
“Is this deployment at the request of the IGP? Somebody must provide urgent answers,” he disclosed in a tweet on the eve of the polls.
The IGP has made it clear that elections security is the responsibility of the Police. So what duties will the 500 soldiers deployed and on their way to Assin North be performing tomorrow?
Is this deployment at the request of the IGP? Somebody must provide urgent answers.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has fielded its ousted MP for the area James Gyakye Quayson who will come up against the ruling New Patriotic Party’s Charles Opoku.
Ahead of the vote, a fellow NDC MP Nelson Dafeamekpor has slammed the IGP over a directive that all police assigned to MPs should return their arms to the local police.
A directive he said was unconstitutional to the extent that it varied the condition of service of MPs and also exposed them to security risks.
Voters in the Assin North constituency are demonstrating their eagerness to exercise their democratic rights.
A GhanaWeb reporter present at the Methodist Primary 1 polling station in Assin Breku captured images of voters forming queues as early as 5:00 am even though polls formally open at 7:00 am.
Nimatu Yakubu reports that as early as 5:30 am, election materials had already arrived at the particular polling station, and preparations for the voting process were in full swing.
The images from the polling station depict a diverse group of individuals patiently waiting in line, eager to have their voices heard through the ballot box. The early turnout suggests a strong sense of civic duty among the residents of Assin North.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) are in a statistical tie for first place in the fight for the parliamentary seat, according to the Executive Director of Global Data Analytics, Mussa Dankwa.
He has consequently urged neither party to celebrate just yet, but rather to put more effort towards winning the election, which might happen today, Tuesday, June 27, 2023.
In an interview with Eyewitness News on Citi Radio in Accra on Monday, Mr. Dankwa made this statement.
Mr Dankwa said this in an interview on Eyewitness News on Citi FM in Accra on Monday.
“The outcome of the polls suggests that the race is too close to call meaning that it is statistically dead heat, meaning there is a tie.
NPP’s candidate leads with 46.7 percent and NDC’s James Gyakye Quayson with 45.6 percent.
That represents 1.1 percent margin between them. And mind you the margin of error is 1.9 percent so that margin of leading is within the polls’ margin of error, so it is dead heat according to pollsters,” he stated.
Mr. Dankwa said 6.9% of voters remained undecided, making their votes pivotal in determining the outcome of the election.
He said the survey involved 2,500 participants, providing valuable insights into the preferences of the electorates ahead of the by-election.
Both candidates are vying for the support of theundecided voters, knowingthat their decision will shape the final results.
Meanwhile, the survey by Global Info Analytics also revealed that Charles Opoku has lost a 19% lead he enjoyed four weeks ago to a 1.1% lead.
On the issue of the court case, when voters who voted for Mr. Opoku were asked if they were influenced to vote for him because they feared Mr. Gyakye Quayson’s court case could be an issue, 20% of them said they intended to vote for Mr. Opoku because of Mr. Gyakye Quayson’s court case.
The poll also showed that 44% of NDC voters who intend to vote for Mr. Opoku were doing so because of Mr. Gyakye Quayson’s court case.
In the key battleground electoral areas of Endwa, Breku, Dominase, Bediadua, and Praso, undecided voters average over 10% of voters.
The Member of Parliament for Sagnarigu, Alhassan Bashir Alhassan (ABA) Fuseini, has said that the Assin North by-election is a done deal for the candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), James Gyakye Quayson.
Speaking to Nimatu Yakubu at one of the polling stations for the by-election, the Methodist Primary School 2, the MP said that Gyakye Quayson was wrongly removed from parliament and today the people of Assin North would give him justice.
“At the end of the day, the verdict of the people, which I believe would be a resounding victory for Honourable Gyakye Quayson, would be asserted.
“It is a keen contest all right but I believe that he would win handsomely… the people have appreciated that he has suffered injustice. He doesn’t deserve to have been ousted as a Member of Parliament because he did everything that was legitimate and proper to be elected MP… So, I believe that the good people of Assin North would give him justice,” he said.
The MP added that even though Quayson was denied access to resources in the three years he was an MP, he did some good for his constituents.
On the electoral process, ABA Fuseini said that so far everything is going well as at the time he spoke to GhanaWeb at 7:00 am.
In an interview on Monday, Gladys Pinkrah, the Central Regional Director of the Electoral Commission (EC), assured that the EC is fully prepared for the upcoming by-election in Assin North, scheduled for Tuesday.
Pinkrah stated that all the necessary election materials have arrived in Assin North and will be distributed to the respective polling stations on Tuesday morning.
The EC expressed confidence in its readiness to conduct a smooth and successful by-election.
“We have received all our election materials and have packaged them so early in the morning we will dispatch them to the polling centers.
We have also trained our election officials, so we are going to have all the representatives of the political parties, NPP, LPG and NDC at the polling stations before we have deployment,” she stated.
Voters in the Assin North constituency in the Central Region will go to the polls today, Tuesday, June 27, to elect their next representative in Parliament.
Three candidates are vying for the seat: James Gyakye Quayson of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Charles Opoku of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), and Bernice Enyonam Sefenu of the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG).
The Electoral Commission (EC) scheduled the by-election for June 27 following the nullification of the 2020 parliamentary election won by Mr Quayson.
The Supreme Court ordered Parliament to expunge Mr Quayson’s name from its records after it found that he held dual citizenship at the time of filing his nomination forms.
A recent survey by Global Info Analytics shows that Mr. Opoku of the NPP has a slight lead overMr. Quayson of the NDC.
The survey, which was conducted between June 15 and 20, 2022, found that 46.7% of respondents said they would vote for Mr. Opoku, while 45.6% said they would vote for Mr. Quayson.
The remaining 6.9% of respondents said they were undecided.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has refuted allegations that he is responsible for the prosecution of former Member of Parliament for Assin North, James Gyakye Quayson.
He asserts that he has never interfered with the judiciary’s work during his tenure as President.
Speaking to supporters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Assin Breku, Central Region, ahead of the upcoming by-election, President Akufo-Addo maintained that Mr. Quayson is facing prosecution due to his violation of the law.
The President raised a question regarding the distinction between Mr. Quayson and Adam Sakande, the former Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, who was prosecuted and convicted for a similar offense.
President Akufo-Addo urged constituents of Assin North not to make the mistake of voting for someone who could potentially end up in jail and impede the area’s development.
The by-election in Assin North became necessary after parliament informed the Electoral Commission that the seat had become vacant. This action followed a Supreme Court ruling stating that the Electoral Commission had acted unconstitutionally by allowing Mr. Quayson to contest the 2020 parliamentary election without providing proof of renouncing his Canadian citizenship.
The court declared Mr. Quayson’s election unconstitutional, null and void, and of no effect. Furthermore, his swearing-in was deemed unconstitutional.
Meanwhile, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is supporting Mr. Quayson as their candidate in the by-election, while the NPP in Assin North has chosen Charles Opoku as their candidate.
The election is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, June 27.
Former Finance Minister and National Democratic Congress (NDC) Presidential hopeful, Dr. Kwabena Duffuor has made a bold declaration, stating that former President John Dramani Mahama will emerge victorious in the upcoming 2024 elections, regardless of the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) stance.
Addressing a gathering at Assin North, Dr Duffuor noted that the New Patriotic Party has not adequately prioritised the needs and welfare of the ordinary Ghanaian.
He, therefore, entreated the electorates to ensure that the New Patriotic Party is ousted in the 2024 elections and former President John Dramani Mahama is elected into office.
“Whether the NPP likes it or not, John Mahama will win the election 2024,” he said.
He noted that the NPP has plunged the country into economic hardships, and “hunger.”
Ghana’s political landscape is characterised by vibrant competition between two major political parties, namely the NPP and the National Democratic Congress (NDC). Both parties have emerged as the dominant political parties in Ghana. They have consistently garnered significant electoral support and have alternated in power since the country’s transition to multi-party democracy in the early 1990s.
Both parties are optimistic about a win in the upcoming elections scheduled for December 2024.
Dr Duffuor while addressing the gathering asked them not to allow the NPP to intimidate them, rather, urged them to exercise their franchise without fear and in favor of the NDC, since the latter will ensure that the lives of Ghanaians improve significantly.
National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Johnson Asiedu Nketia has accused the Ghana Police Service of plotting to assist the New Patriotic Party rig the upcoming Assin North by-election scheduled for Tuesday, June 27, 2023.
Descending heavily on the police providing security in the Assin North Constituency in the Central Region, he claimed the police are scheming to get the ruling party to win Tuesday’s by-elections.
He said no meeting has been held so far with leadership of the various political parties ahead of the by-election, a situation which only foments suspicions among parties.
“These are all deliberate mechanisms in making sure that the elections are rigged,” he told TV3‘s Komla Klutse in an interview in Assin North on Sunday, June 25.
A meeting has, however, been scheduled to be held between the Ghana Police Service and leadership of the various political parties on Monday, June 26.
Mr Asiedu Nketia is not convinced, however, as he says no measure can be taken to avert a security risk less than 24 hours to the D-day.
He, nonetheless, pledged to work with the state security agencies, without any other options, to ensure peaceful polls on Tuesday.
“If the security is going to be provided by the police service that is organizing medical screening to facilitate the victory of one side, that is NPP, but we still trust that we don’t have any option than to cooperate with state security.”
The NDC has maintained James Gyakye Quayson for the by-elections despite being the cause of it after the courts declared his election in 2020 null and void and of no legal effect.
The NPP has, however, changed its candidate, going for Charles Opoku, who hails from the same town, Assin Breku, as Mr Quayson.
National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Johnson Asiedu Nketia says no meeting has been held so far with leadership of the various political parties ahead of the Assin North by-election, a situation which only foments suspicions among parties.
“These are all deliberate mechanisms in making sure that the elections are rigged,” hesaid in an interview with TV3 on Sunday, June 25.
A meeting has, however, been scheduled to be held between the Ghana Police Service and leadership of the various political parties on Monday, June 26.
Mr Asiedu Nketia is not convinced, however, as he says no measure can be taken to avert a security risk less than 24 hours to the D-day.
He, nonetheless, pledged to work with the state security agencies, without any other options, to ensure peaceful polls on Tuesday.
“If the security is going to be provided by the police service that is organizing medical screening to facilitate the victory of one side, that is NPP, but we still trust that we don’t have any option than to cooperate with state security.”
The NDC has maintained James Gyakye Quayson for the by-election despite being the cause of it after the courts declared his election in 2020 null and void and of no legal effect.
The NPP has, however, changed its candidate, going for Charles Opoku, who hails from the same town, Assin Breku, as Mr Quayson.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has chastised former President John Dramani Mahama during the New Patriotic Party’s final rally ahead of the June 27 by-election in Assin North, for allegedly attacking the judiciary.
Mahama, who had also addressed the National Democratic Congress (NDC) final rally in Gangan made comments to the effect that the courts had been politicized and that led to the ouster of NDC’s James Gyakye Quayson as Member of Parliament, which ouster led to the by-election.
Akufo-Addo blasted Mahama for the comments describing it as unfortunate but unsurprising for a man who ever said that ‘Ghanaians are forgetful.’
The president referred to the case of NPP MP Adamu Dramani Sakande who was jailed during Mahama’s presidency over a dual citizenship case, a similar incident to what Quayson is facing in an Accra High Court.
“John Mahama says if not for politics, what the courts have said of Mr. Quayson will not be. Essentially that the Supreme Court has been politicized. Ghanaians easily forget and that is why he said that.
“What happened to Adamu Dramani Sakande during his presidency, he seems to have forgotten. It is the exact same thing that has befallen Quayson.
“Was it politics that led to Sakande’s jailing during his presidency? Why is he relating it to that now, let us be truthful, we should be truthful, people should stop lying to people in the villages,” he jabbed.
He drummed the advantages of choosing the NPP’s Charles Opoku over Quayson stressing that the constituency needs someone from the ruling party and not a lawmaker who could potentially be in jail or who would be frequenting the courts during his tenure.
“Don’t elect someone who will be frequenting the courts – Appeal, Supreme, High Courts, that is not what you need. I came to appeal to you to elect a lawmaker who can join government to continue the work government is executing in Assin North.
“Ghanaians are forgetful, does such a person think well of Ghanaians? We are not a forgetful people. What happened to Sakande, it is on the same path Quayson is traveling. It is not for me to say.
“The NPP is not interested in intimidating or scaring him, it is the laws that are after him, it is not me scaring him, it is the laws. If the laws come after you, it is not Nana Addo, it is the law,” Akufo-Addo stressed stating that he has never sought to influence the courts in his time in office.
The by-election has attracted a lot of political activity in the past few weeks. Campaigns ended on June 25 ahead of the vote.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has told residents of Assin North that they deserve a member of parliament who is not constantly involved in legal disputes.
He was addressing on June 25 at the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) last rally in Fosu, where the party urged supporters to cast their votes en masse for Charles Opoku, the party’s parliamentary candidate.
Akufo-Addo argued that electing Charles Opoku would mean choosing a legislator who is not distracted by other matters and can concentrate on his or her legislative responsibilities.
He was referring to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary candidate James Gyakye Quayson who is standing to win a seat he was ousted from by the Supreme Court last month and is currently facing criminal charges at an Accra High Court.
The president said the case of Quayson, a dual nationality case is likened to that of a former NPP MP for Bawku Central who was jailed for contesting for a parliamentary seat despite holding Ghanaian and British citizenship.
He explained: “That Ghanaians easily forget and that is why he (John Mahama) said that. What happened to Adamu Dramani Sakande during his presidency, he seems to have forgotten. It is the exact same thing that has befallen Quayson.
“Was it politics that led to Sakande’s jailing during his presidency? Why is he relating it to that now, let us be truthful, we should be truthful, people should stop lying to people in the villages.
The by-election has attracted a lot of political activity in the past few weeks. Campaigns ended on June 25 ahead of the vote.
President Akufo-Addo led the New Patriotic Party’s final rally in the constituency campaigning for the candidacy of Charles Opoku who according to a poll is leading marginally.
Renowned pollster, Ben Ephson has predicted that Charles Opoku, the New Patriotic Party’s candidate in the Assin North by-election will win the upcoming elections and kill James Gyakye Quayson of the National Democratic Congress’s dream of retaining his seat.
Ben Ephson, in a Joy News interview, held that the election is quite close but believes that the determining factors favor the New Patriotic Party.
Laying the premise for his prediction of victory for the NPP, Ben Ephson noted that Gyakye Quayson won the 2020 elections largely because of his place of origin is Assin Bereku.
According to him, with Assin Bereku holding the largest number of voters within the constituency, Gyakye Quayson had the advantage of his own people voting massively for him.
The situation is however different as Charles Opoku who is the NPP’s candidate also hails from the town.
Ephson also argued that the ‘sympathy votes’ campaign which was being championed by the NDC has been dealt a blow following the decision of the Accra High Court to allow Gyakye Quayson to campaign whiles his criminal trial is ongoing.
“Both parties want this seat so badly. For Quayson the sympathy votes that he would have gotten have dropped a bit because some NDC people were trying to influence the swing voters that when there is a by-election, roads get done and monies come from both parties so let’s vote for Quayson so that if he loses, then we will have another chance for another by-election but the court asking to go back to the campaign has dimmed his chances.
“For the NPP candidate, the little investigations I’ve done show that he has been preparing himself for politics. For the past few years, he has an NGO which has been doing a number of activities. That gives him an advantage. If you were to gamble with your last 100 cedis, I will advise you to put your money on the NPP candidate even though it’s too close to call.
“Quayson came from Assin Bereku and the lady was from another area. The lady had issues with some of the NPP executives in Assin Bereku which is why this time she was asked to stay aside. With both candidates coming Assin Bereku and the lady who is popular in another town campaigning for the NPP… The NPP candidate has also been doing a lot of philanthropic works in Assin North”, he said.
In what has been termed as a mid-term election to assess the popularity of the two main political parties ahead of the 2024 elections, James Gyakye Quayson of the NDC is battling Charles Opoku of the NPP to retain the seat which he won in 2020.
The by-election was necessitated by a Supreme Court decision to declare the 2020 elections in the constituency as null and void.
The court held that at the time of filing to contest, James Gyakye Quayson had not successfully renounced his Canadian citizenship and thus was a dual citizen of Ghana and Canada.
The deputy general secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mustapha Gbande, has commended the government’s efforts to build new roads in Assin North but insists that these initiatives alone won’t guarantee the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) victory.
The Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, recently commissioned the Assin Fosu to Assin Praso stretch, which spans 31.2 kilometres and connects Ahwian Nkwanta in the Ashanti Region to Yamoransa in the Central Region.
However, the NDC has accused the government of undertaking these projects solely to gain votes in the upcoming by-election on June 27.
In an interview with Selorm Adonoo on the Eyewitness News, Mustapha Gbande welcomed the construction works in the area but argued that they would not significantly improve the livelihoods of the constituents.
Gbande pointed out that the roads leading to the villages within Assin North have not been tarred, making it challenging for farmers to transport their produce.
“It’s good news for the people of Ghana, that this non-performing government has at least commissioned the road. I have plied the road and it’s a beautiful road. What does this road mean to the people? The people cannot move their cocoa produce to the main city of Assin North.
“The roads leading to the villages have not been tarred. One will question if what the government has done will put food on the table for the people of Assin North. We want to see Ghanaians being disburdened, and see the standard of living in the lives of the people of Assin North improved.
He further asserted, “We are talking about the majority of Assin North who this road does not mean anything to them. 80% of the people there are farmers, they cannot boast of farm inputs, fertilizers, high yields, nor buy medicine. As far as I’m concerned, this is a very useless government, and so if they have done this road, they deserve some commendation for completing the road. How that this translates into the people’s lives ?”.
