According to the apex court, the National Democratic Congress MP’s name should be expunged from the books of Parliament.
This follows a judgment of the apex court upholding an application invoking the original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court on the constitutionality of the election of James Gyakye Quayson.
The ruling by the seven-member panel of the Supreme Court bars Mr. Quayson from holding himself as a Member of Parliament.
Mr Quayson was standing trial for counts of deceit of a public officer, forgery of a passport, knowingly making a false statutory declaration, perjury, and false declaration.
The plaintiff, Michael Ankomah-Nimfah filed the application after securing a judgment at the High Court in Cape Coast injuncting Gyakye Quayson from holding himself as MP after the court ruled that by being a Canadian citizen, he was not qualified to contest as an MP in Ghana.
The plaintiff in invoking the original jurisdiction was seeking reliefs that upon true and proper interpretation of Article 94(2)(a) of the 1992 constitution the decision to allow Gyakye Quayson to contest in the 2020 polls, and his subsequent election was null and void.
In November 2020, a group calling itself ‘Concerned Citizens of Assin North petitioned the Electoral Commission in the Central Region to withdraw the candidature of Mr. Quayson, arguing that he owes allegiance to Canada.
James Gyakye Quayson, who stood on the tick of the National Democratic Congress as its parliamentary candidate in the Assin North constituency for the 2020 polls got 17,498 votes representing (55.21%) while Abena Durowaa Mensah, the New Patriotic Party’s candidate had 14,193 representing (44.79%).