The National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) Director of Legal Affairs and Lawyer for Assin North MP, Abraham Amaliba says the legal team will file a defense to the “mean” petition restraining Assin North MP-elect, James Gyakye Quayson, from holding himself as Member of Parliament-elect for Monday 11th January 2021.
Clerk of Parliament, Cyrill Nsiah, gave the Assin North MP-elect, James Gyakye Quayson the go-ahead to participate in the election of a Speaker for the 8th Parliament of the Fourth Republic despite his confirmation of receiving the writ of an injunction granted against the Assin North MP-elect by a Cape Coast High Court preventing him from participating in the proceedings of the house.
The Clerk had earlier said he was unable to recognise Mr Gyakye Quayson as a member of the House till such a time when the Cape Coast High Court grant him the green light to assume his seat in the office.
On Wednesday, January 8, 2021, the presiding judge, Justice Kwasi Boakye said Mr. Quayson was “restrained from holding himself out as Member of Parliament-elect for the Assin North constituency within the Central Region of the Republic of Ghana and further presenting himself to be sworn in as Member of Parliament-elect as such until the final determination of the petition.”
Speaking on Atinka FM’s AM Drive with host Ekourba Gyasi, Lawyer for Assin North MP-elect, Abraham Amaliba noted that Mr Quayson was yet to be served the writ of injunction from the court thus the decision to be allowed to participate in the proceedings of the House till he was formally served.
He noted that the legal team for the MP will file a defense to what he described as a mean petition on Monday11th January 2021.
According to him, the Constitution did not state that one should denounce being a citizen of another country before filing to be a member of Parliament.
He explained that the Constitution states that a person shall not be a member of Parliament if he holds allegiance to another country.
“As at he time he picked his nomination forms, he was not a member of Parliament. One only becomes a member of Parliament after he has been sworn in,” he added.
Ghana | Atinkaonline.com| Vivian Adu Boatemaa