Deal with Kennedy Agyapong and co the same way NPP treated James Quayson – Okudzeto Ablakwa
A peeved legislator for the North Tongu constituency Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has called on members of the National Democratic Congress especially its lawmakers to also treat New Patriotic Party lawmakers Kennedy Agyapong, Sarah Adwoa Safo and Henry Quartey who have been referred to the Privileges Committee by the Speaker the same way James Gyakye Quayson was treated.
He noted that the NPP are determined to have a by-election in Assin North and nothing will get in their way.
“If there is one thing you have to credit President Akufo-Addo and his coterie – it’s their killer instinct. They are determined to have a by-election in Assin North and absolutely nothing must get in their way.
“I hope this informs my own party’s conduct from hence, particularly in how we deal with the three NPP absentee MPs, especially when comparatively we have a much stronger and irrefutable constitutional basis to do so.”
His comments come after the Apex court by a majority 5-2 decision ordered the beleaguered Assin North MP James Gyakye Quayson to stop calling himself a Member of Parliament.
Justices Agnes Dordzie and Nene Amegatcher dissented while Prof. Henrietta Mensah Bonsu, Mariama Owusu, Gertrude Torkornoo, and Emmanuel Yonny Kulendi voted in favour.
Initially, the Cape Coast High Court presided over by Justice Coram Kwasi Boakye, ruled that Mr Gyakye Quayson was not eligible to contest the December 7, 2020, Parliamentary Elections because he bore dual citizenship before picking nomination forms from the Electoral Commission, Ghana (EC).
As a result, they ordered fresh elections to be conducted while Mr Gyakye Quayson was asked to cease holding himself as MP.
The Attorney General, Mr Godfred Dame following the ruling said Mr Gyekye Quayson must suffer the fate of former New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP for Bawku Adamu Dramani Sakande.
Mr Adamu Sakende was sentenced to two years imprisonment after he was found guilty of false declaration of office, perjury and deceiving a public officer.
His sentence was on three counts of perjury, false declaration and deceit of a public officer. He contested the Bawku seat even though he had not conclusively denounced his UK Citizenship.
Mr Godfred Dame said ”think that there ought to be even application of the law, there ought to be an equal application of the law, the same fate that befell Adamu Sakande who was not qualified at the time that nominations were opened and we all know what happened to him. Subsequently, they declared him ineligible and his seat was taken away so there ought to be even application of the law.”
