The Minority in Parliament has said that the decision of the Supreme Court to expel Mr James Gyakye Quayson from the house and his name expunged from the records of the House is a slap in the face of Ghana’s democracy and rule of law.
In a statement reacting to the ruling, the Minority stated that the laws of Ghana only prohibit people from performing their functions as members of parliament if they still have dual citizenship.
However, “It is important to place on record that as at the time of his election, Hon. James Gyakye Quayson was not a dual citizen, neither was he a dual citizen as at the time he took the oath of office as a Member of Parliament,” parts of the statement released on Wednesday, read.
The statement signed by Minority Leader Dr Cassiel Ato Forson added that as a result, they find it baffling that the Supreme Court would order the removal from parliament of Mr Quayson who they say was duly elected as MP.
“While we are yet to study the reasoning of the court in making its decision, it appears to be a slap in the face of our democracy and the rule of law. We shall inform the public of our position upon reviewing the reasoning of the Court in arriving at its decision. We urge our rank and file to be calm while we pursue all legal avenues to ensure that justice is served.”
On Wednesday, May 17, the Supreme Court by a unanimous decision, ordered the Parliament of Ghana to expunge his name from its records as a Member of Parliament.
The Court ruled that the Electoral Commission acted unconstitutionally in allowing him to contest the 2020 Parliamentary Elections without proof that he had denounced his Canadian citizenship at the time he filed his nomination in October 2020, to contest the parliamentary elections in the Assin-North constituency.
The court in a unanimous decision ruled that Mr. Quayson was not qualified at the time of filing his nomination forms.
It further held that the EC allowing him to contest when he had not shown evidence of renunciation of his citizenship of Canada is unconstitutional.
It further declared that his election was unconstitutional, null and void and of no effect. His swearing-in was equally declared to be unconstitutional with Parliament ordered to expunge his name from its records.
Meanwhile, reacting to the ruling, Mr Quayson said that he is disappointed in the decision of the Supreme Court.
“I am especially surprised that the Court now says that foreign bureaucrats now determine whether natural-born Ghanaians have the right to contest for parliamentary elections in Ghana or not. Thus, a country that does not allow renunciation of its citizenship can bar a natural born Ghanaian, who has severed all relations with a country of acquired citizenship, from ever standing for MP.”
He, nevertheless, noted that he has turned the page on litigating this matter in the courts of justice and will now leave the matter to the court of conscience.
